


Children of War

by MissArtemis



Series: Glory to the Children [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Armitage Hux Has Feelings, Armitage Hux Needs A Hug, Bottom Armitage Hux, Brendol Hux's A+ Parenting, Developing Relationship, Emotional Manipulation, Idiots in Love, Jealous Kylo Ren, Kid Fic, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Mutual Pining, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Science Babies, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Snoke Being a Dick, Top Kylo Ren, but later, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2020-05-13 06:49:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 161,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19246015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissArtemis/pseuds/MissArtemis
Summary: After a complicated diplomatic mission went awry, General Hux and Kylo Ren accidentally find themselves tasked with their most difficult mission: becoming parents.Despite their complex relationship, they both agree that raising an offspring will help bring glory to the First Order. Their original vision of a united family quickly falls apart as Hux and Ren cannot see eye to eye in what they want the future to hold.





	1. Where Were We?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow my first kylux fanfic! this is inspired by all those prompts of Cody Fern being a kylux baby lol.

Snoke summoned Hux in the midst of his shift which sent the general into an unusual spell of anxiety. It wasn’t uncommon that Snoke would only ask for Hux instead of having Kylo attend a meeting with him, yet something shivered up his spine hearing that the Supreme Leader wanted to see him immediately. It certainly wasn’t helping that the young lieutenant that had supplied the message avoided eye contact with Hux.

Hux tried not to let his nerves get the best of him. He dug his fingers into the palms of his hand as he strode down the corridors of the _Finalizer_. Perhaps it was a good thing Snoke was summoning him, it could have meant that Snoke was more impressed with Hux’s project than he expected (though Hux knew it was just perfect). Snoke gave praise out sparingly and always with great purpose. The rare times he heard Snoke praise Kylo, it had sent the knight into a strange trance, not that Hux could really blame him or understand. It may have been a 'force' thing. Hux himself did take great pride when Snoke seemed impressed but didn’t let it get to his head, unlike Kylo.

But Snoke didn’t call Hux to praise him like a dog. The corridor seemed clear of troopers which only added to Hux’s discomfort. When he entered the windowless throne room which held Snoke’s imposing projection, Hux made sure each step he took appeared to have the utmost confidence. On the inside he was withering because he knew Snoke was searching for anything he was hiding. He felt the guilt of hiding himself as he went into the wide, void-like holochamber where Snoke’s projection waited. 

The blue hue of the hologram did well to hide the true ugly tones of Snoke’s flesh-colored skin, but it couldn’t hide the texture and rotting scars. Hux did his best to hide his thoughts about Snoke every time he saw the alien, worried his curiosity would offend him. If Kylo was good for anything, it was teaching Hux how to defend himself from the Force when he had no connection to it.

Well, Ren taught him that amongst other things but Snoke didn’t need to dig too deeply on those matters either. 

The Supreme Leader’s holoprojection looked down to Hux, slouching in his throne.

“General Hux, the weapon is making good progress I take it?” Snoke asked though he didn’t sound all too interested.

“Yes Supreme Leader. The weapon is making great developments given how short ago we began the process. The Republic has yet to make any formal concerns or statements about our great weapon,” Hux replied. Snoke made a low hum of bored approval. He sat up straighter and Hux suppressed the urge to be straighter in his stance as well. He was standing as straight as a board already.

“Very good. I made you General for a reason. You continue to live up to my standards, young Hux,” Snoke praised. Hux was proud for a moment but was left uncomfortable with the fact that he isn’t the only  _Hux_ that Snoke knew, even if he is the only name in his bloodline left.

“You called for other reasons, Supreme Leader?” Hux asked under the assumption that the talk of Starkiller was over. Snoke gave a nod.

“Yes. I have a mission for you to go on. Diplomatic. To the planet of Quirinal. On your current course, taking a detour on a shuttle should prove to be convenient enough to get there and back to the _Finalizer_ in a timely manner. You will receive more information to your datapad,” Snoke told him.

Quirinal wasn’t a hostile planet to the First Order. They were neutral and had been up for consideration as a good trading port for the Order. Hux was just surprised Snoke seemed to actually be considerate in the processings of diplomacy. He had been more focused on the Resistance and force users than of actually dealing with the First Order’s place in the galaxy. It had it ups like it gave Hux freer range to make his own choices, but it also gave Snoke this air of mystery that often unnerved Hux. He didn’t know all of Snoke’s plans, but he certainly knew Snoke was planning somethingof great magnitude. Kylo may have known the extent of Snoke’s plans for galactic domination, but he doubted that. Kylo was extremely straightforward and tended to concentrate on whatever task was put in front of him like the two brain-celled animal he was.

“Yes Supreme Leader. I will organize a batch of stormtroopers to accompany me. Quirinal is an excellent planet to make allies with,” he replied. He wasn’t supplying praise to Snoke, he just wanted to assure that their perspectives aligned. Snoke sat back, tapping his fingers against the armrest of his throne. The tap-tap-tapping of Snoke’s sharpened nails gave Hux chills. He wasn’t afraid, but today Snoke made him particularly uncomfortable. The look in Snoke’s eyes somehow both demonstrated a disinterest and quiet plotting.

“Keep the number of troopers small, General. You will be accompanied by Kylo Ren when he returns shortly from his mission.”

Hux blinked. Bringing Kylo Ren sounded like a recipe for disaster. Kylo hardly dealt the diplomacy or politics, he was merely the attack dog of the Order that snuffed out enemies. His unbridled temper was sure to get in the way of reason, thus ruining their chances of true allegiance from Quirinal.

Hux liked Kylo in only a few ways, and even then ‘like’ seemed as if it was too strong of a word. He liked to think of Kylo as a rival of sorts, using him as petty motivation, but he knew Kylo had his strengths. Weaknesses, though, could not be overlooked just because some masked idiot could move objects with his mind.

“Supreme Leader,” Hux replied plainly.

“You have concerns, General?” Snoke asked.

“As Lord Ren is a valuable asset, I am unsure of how he will handle this diplomatic mission. His temper is quite… fiery. And, personally, I would be more comfortable attending alone or with someone who specializes in planetary relations. Sir.” Hux was firm in his explanation, inserting the ‘sir’ tactically to keep Snoke placated. He removed the usual bitterness he had when discussing Ren. They were valid concerns and Snoke appeared to recognize that.

Kylo Ren was a sure distraction in many ways. Hux was just unsure in what way Kylo would choose to distract him or manipulate his purpose. Snoke seemed to smirk a little as if he found Hux’s considerations amusing. 

“I understand your concerns General Hux. He will prove himself, and this will be a valuable lesson to him. Besides, as of late you both appear to get along better. I intend to use that as it last,” Snoke told him. Hux swallowed, his body stiffening a little. He locked up his thoughts of Ren.

He wasn’t sure how Snoke would react if he knew. A part of him knew that he’d consider Hux a distraction, but their relationship wasn’t exactly defined. Long nights in Ren’s bed didn’t mean there was a relationship, there was just some sort of mutual understanding between them. They both needed a break at times, to release stress or to forget their worries or to replace their usual fighting with something that was (usually) less bloody and far more pleasing. But no way in hell could Snoke know. There’d be no good end for them if the Supreme Leader found out about their ‘canoodling.’

He didn’t even know if Snoke understood humans. The Supreme Leader was clearly a humanoid of sorts. If he was full alien or mixed, Hux didn’t know. It was ironic, considering the First Order’s pool of employees was primarily human. Hux himself didn’t care how their troopers looked, as long as they were moldable and fit into a trooper uniform. His personal ideas didn’t speak volumes to the actual amount of aliens in the Order though.

“Yes, well. It is better for us to try to get along. He can be,” Hux tried to find the least offensive word, “trying at times but it is manageable.”

That was a lie. Kylo destroying consoles with his saber or choking officers who didn’t look at him right was not at all manageable. It was an odd thing to consider lucky, but Hux was lucky he found an agreeable way to release Kylo’s anger.

No strings attached, of course.

Of course.

“I have faith you’ll both come back unharmed and successful. You leave tomorrow. Kylo will return after you finish your shift. Relay the message, but he will also get a copy on his datapad when he returns,” Snoke instructed. Hux nodded.

“Yes, Supreme—” Snoke’s hologram cut out suddenly, like he decided the conversation had already concluded. Hux sighed and tried not to be irritated.

He couldn’t help it though, he didn’t want to have to deal with Ren. Every time he returned from a mission, whenever it was successful or not, he was always in a sour mood. Ren’s patience would run thin, taking it out on whatever he could. Hux figured it had something to do with him having to work without his knights nowadays.

Hux didn’t particularly understand Ren’s little group of black-masked savages, but he knew Ren was their leader. He got the sense that Ren must of been worried about them, or perhaps even lonely. It may have been a safe hypothesis to say that Ren took his attention, positive and negative, to Hux with his knights gone. Kylo didn’t exactly have any friends on the ship. Even if they always argued, Hux was the only person who held any sort of conversation with Ren. His officers commended him for his bravery, and Hux would roll his eyes at them.

The General returned to the bridge, counting down the hours until he had to see Ren. He dreaded having to deal with Ren after his work hours (even though he constantly worked) but he’d handle it of course. 

Of course.

 

/////

 

Hux didn’t receive formal notice when Kylo Ren returned to the ship. In fact, his only notice was when Ren burst into his room still in his robes and helmet. Hux jumped out of his seat, clutching his thermos so his tea wouldn’t spill onto his datapad.

He looked up, seeing Ren’s dark imposing figure take up space in front of him. The knight was breathing heavily through his mask as a sign he had probably rushed down the halls.

“What the pfassk are you doing in my room you barbarian?” Hux exclaimed, more baffled than angry.

“I have better things to do than to babysit you on some— some errand,” Ren thundered through his mask. Ah, so he received Snoke’s instructions before Hux relayed them. Perhaps this was better. Still irritating. But better.

Hux took in a deep sigh. Unlike Ren, he tried to make it so his all actions were not dictated by strong emotions. “It’s not an errand Ren. It’s a diplomatic mission to an important planet. Quirinal can supply us with plentiful medical supplies, which you would know if you read the holosheet.”

“I did read the fucking assignment. Why did Snoke send it to me? This isn’t my problem,” he told Hux. The corner of Hux’s lip twitched in disdain.

“He told me that he wanted you to gain some diplomacy skills. Why is beyond me. It honestly isn't a big deal for you Ren. You would have been harassing my officers with nothing to do if you didn’t get this assignment anyway,” Hux responded calmly.

Ren stepped closer to his desk. Hux moved his tea further away from the edge of the desk, awaiting Ren’s impending hand-slamming against his desk.

“You cannot comprehend what I do,” Ren growled. Hux shivered at his tone but kept an outer shell of coolness.

“Perhaps not. But maybe you don’t understand what I do either. I’m trying to make this easy on you Ren, so stop being a kriffing child. Do you want to be productive? Then stop complaining about what you can’t control,” Hux ordered, close to being fed up, “and take off that  _ridiculous_ bucket.”

Ren didn’t move for a moment. Amazingly, he did as he was told as released the latches of his helmet and pulled it off his head. His dark hair bounced out of its restricting counter, revealing its messy curls and waves. Ren’s aquiline nose always jutted out first every time Hux was Ren’s face. He was most likely the only one who’s ever seen Ren’s face (beside Snoke).

Hux recalled the first time he ever saw Kylo’s face. He was taken aback by its youthfulness. Ren wasn’t traditionally attractive with his exaggerated features and freckles and moles, but Hux couldn’t help but think Ren was beautiful. Rens stilled upon having heard Hux’s thoughts. 

Here again, having known Ren’s face by now, Hux was still mesmerized by it. Ren took a deep breath in and smirked. It immediately infuriated Hux.

“Did you miss me?” Ren asked in his husky, low voice. Hux felt his cheeks grow red. Damn mind reader. 

“No, I didn’t particularly miss you and your temper tantrums. You demonstrated that very well because the first thing you did when returning to this ship is break into my room.” He didn’t even know how Ren knew his code.

“The Force,” Ren told him.

“Stay out of my head, Ren.”

“Why should I? It’s so interesting in there.” Hux ground his teeth together.

“Common decency would a plausible reason,” Hux replied, going back to his datapad. The finance reports had become fickle tasks, as Hux predicted, due to the construction of Starkiller. Hux didn’t have to be psychic either to know they would get worse now that Kylo was back on the ship.

“Well, we aren’t decent people,” Ren supplied seriously. The response somehow made Hux uncomfortable. He knew Ren was just trying to be edgy, but the topic of morality was a strange thing for them both. Hux didn’t think of himself as evil, but maybe Ren thought of himself that way because of all of his dark side nonsense. It was weird thinking about himself in terms of his decency.

“Speak for yourself. My subordinates like me. Perhaps you should get their respect as well,” Hux replied. His face gained the blue hues of the light of his datapad, his eyes reflecting the little lines of information. Ren stared, watching the light shift on Hux’s face.

“They respect me. Fear me.”

“Fear is different than respect Kylo Ren,” Hux asserted. He looked up from his datapad, “and fear can only get you so far. Respect garters unbridled loyalty. People will die for you even if you don’t ask them to. They know what you want and give it to you with the desire to prove themselves. Fear may make people work for you but they’ll crack under the pressure. They’ll snap.” Hux snapped his fingers together. 

It sounded more like a warning than advice. Ren tilted his head curiously. He noticed Hux wasn’t wearing his hair gel. It was supposedly his sleeping hours but Ren had only known Hux to sleep after being thoroughly fucked into exhaustion. Something about Hux’s loose hair made him appear more vulnerable and younger. Ren could imagine himself running his hands through Hux’s fiery hair. He’d probably purr like the needy cat he was.

“My knights respect me,” Ren retorted, his voice flat. He was still standing, his mask held under his arm. His focus shifted from what Hux was actually saying to how his lips moved.

“Perhaps, I don’t know them. This ship works differently than your force cult though.” Ren narrowed his eyes at Hux. He never understood why Hux always found the need to question or put his nose up to something clearly more powerful than him. “Your knights may work for Snoke and you, but they are not in the First Order’s command. We are supposedly Co-Commanders, so please Ren try to be agreeable.”

Ren straightened his posture suddenly, his eyes slightly widened. Hux looked up from his datapad, an eyebrow raised.

“What?”

“You said please to me.” Ren seemed genuinely surprised.

“So?” Hux asked, nonchalantly.

“You’ve been acting strangely, my General,” Ren said smugly, going up to the desk and leaning over it to cast a shadow over Hux. Hux didn’t move. “Desperate?”

“Usually when someone says please they themselves are trying to be agreeable. I’m just trying to create some peace between us.” 

“What, you don’t think spreading your legs is working? Because I quite enjoy it,” Ren growled flirtatiously at Hux, biting his teeth together to make a clicking noise. Hux instantly turned red. He lifted his hand, threatening to smack Ren.

“You kriffing brute!” Hux yelled, sneering at Ren. Ren merely stopped his motion with the Force before Hux could actually smack him across the face. Hux struggled in his force bonds.

“You’re so pretty General, I don’t know why you stress so much,” Ren teased. He touched Hux’s burning cheek. Though Hux was stuck in Ren force bonds, he still tried to pull away. He removed his hand from Hux’s face and jutted his lip out. He let go of his force bonds and Hux stumbled a little into his desk.

“I stress cause of idiots like you always causing me trouble thinking they can go around and do whatever they want! And don’t degrade me you prick,” Hux lectured, slamming his fist to his desk.

“Didn’t mean to insult you, General. Shall I make it up to you?” Ren insinuated. Hux despised Ren’s flips in personality. His anger was relentless and completely stupid, but his dominance made him cocky and proud. They both worked against Hux in different ways. He didn’t know what side of Kylo he hated more.  

It still bothered Hux that their relationship wasn’t defined, his mind kept drifting to the uncertainty he had. Hux hated uncertainty. Everything had to have some meaning and purpose and Hux wouldn’t want to be at a loss. As much as Hux liked to keep it undefined, it also confused him. He wasn’t one for relationships. As much as he mocked Kylo for being lonesome, Hux didn’t have any close friends either. Phasma counted, perhaps, but she was close to him strictly for her loyalty. They talked but he didn’t know too much about her in regards to her interest or other relationships. She probably wouldn’t die for him, but she would fight for him. His lieutenant, Mitaka, was uniquely loyal. But they weren’t friends either Hux supposed. Mitaka was his subordinate and just trying to also gain respect back from Hux. Hux thought it also was strange to be close to subordinates. He didn’t like anyone thinking he had favorites, though Mitaka certainly was more tolerable to him than everyone else.

And naturally, there was Kylo Ren who stood in front of him with a sly little smirk. Co-Commanders? Not by choice. Friends? No way in hell. Lovers?

He looked into Ren’s deep, dark eyes. They were always so mixed with emotion, like a black pool of dying and newly born stars. At the moment Ren was trying to be flirtatious, but his eyes spoke a million more truths.

Hux told himself they were not lovers. That required opening more than his legs. Fuck buddies sounded the most appropriate but too vulgar. Hux certainly didn’t like wording it like that.

“We have a mission and you will go and be reasonable. Return to your quarters Kylo,” he instructed. He began organizing his desk, demonstrating he’d like to retire for the night. Kylo’s smirk vanished. He almost seemed disappointed. “And take a shower.” 

Kylo let a short sigh and placed his helmet back on his head. Hux stood up to escort Kylo out politely, but Kylo showed he rather leave without Hux’s hand. Hux could tell Kylo was going to wallow in Hux’s rejection like the self-entitled brat he was.

“Goodnight then Hux. I will see you tomorrow,” Kylo said, his vocoder distorting his voice. He saw himself out, stopping at the doorway. “Have nice dreams. I’ll visit you in them.” 

“Any dream with you is a nightmare Kylo Ren,” Hux muttered, running his fingers through his hair.

It wasn’t until Kylo left that Hux realized how tired he was. Any interaction with the mysterious knight was utterly exhausting.

Hux changed into his black pajamas for the night before crawling into his bed. It was strange going to bed without his datapad in his hands. If there was one thing Kylo was good at, it was getting Hux to sleep. At least Kylo driving Hux to exhaustion let him sleep longer than two hours.

 

/////

 

Hux did in fact dream of Kylo during the night but it wasn’t because Kylo had invaded his dreams like he said he would. 

It was a mythical sort of dream. His senses felt oddly heightened for a dream. He felt airy, almost like he was weightless. He dreamt he was floating in space, but his body was warm and embraced. When he turned to see who was holding him he was met with Kylo’s large nose pressed to his neck. Kylo had his arms wrapped around his body, specifically hands over Hux’s stomach. Kylo was still as if he were sleeping. It was strange, he could feel the warmth of Kylo’s body but the pressure wasn’t there except for over his stomach.

Hux turned his hand back to the form where he was met with the glowing stars of the galaxy and its cosmoses enveloping them. He wondered if this is what it felt to be a god if any existed. He figured being a force user was the closest you got to be a god.

Did he have a god at his fingertips?

The galaxies formed glittery clouds around them and covered up their nakedness modestly. Despite them lacking clothes, Hux felt as if there was nothing sexual about their position. Though Kylo was spooning him in a laying down position, they seemed to sit upright in space. The various colors of the bursting stars and cloudy lights relaxed Hux. The purpled, blues, and reds of the galaxy curled through the strands of his hair and wrapped itself around Hux’s waist.

Two bright stars seemed to float towards him like gems for his picking. Hux our his hands out to let them come into his hands. The slowly moved into each of Hux’s palms and floated right above his skin. One of the stars turned a soft blue and the other a fearsome red.

Dreamy-eyed, Hux slowly closed his hands to capture the little stars. Kylo seemed to tighten his grip on him.

When he closed his fist, he found himself awake and back to reality. Hux blinked sleepily, needing a moment to gather himself. He realized his hands were shut into a fist next to his face. He loosened one hand then clutched it back into a fist, making sure he was actually awake.

He sat up slowly, realizing he woke before his alarm actually went off. It was a common occurrence for Hux to never sleep to the time he required. He slept very little.

He felt strangely warm in some parts of his body and cold in others. He recalled dream Kylo’s body enveloping his and feeling warm all other. Hux still felt ethereal. He wanted to lay back down and let the galaxy swallow him up again. 

His face flushed at the remembrance. How embarrassing. If Kylo knew he had a  _romantic_ dream about him Hux would never hear the end of it. Wet dreams were one thing, those were the dreams Kylo invaded from time to time, but romantic dreams were a true sign of a personal connection. That was the last distraction Hux needed in his life. 

He was a General with much to do. He couldn’t waste his time with romantic affairs. Or any affairs. Perhaps it was time to end his liaisons with Ren. Ren used their sexual encounters as an opportunity to overstep bounds and Hux needed it to be clear where he stood in everything because it seemed Ren forgot.

The uniform he dressed in didn’t have the same warmth of the galaxy that had enveloped him. He kept thinking back to his dream but found the more he thought about it, the less he remembered. Hux secured his belt around his waist and found it looser than he liked it. He did tend to overcompensate for size with the padding in his uniform (Ren called him small before. Hux hated it). 

Hux prepared for his impending stress session by chugging more caf than he should. With his bags packed he headed to his shuttle.

Ren, expectedly, wasn’t there. Granted, the shuttle didn’t leave for another half hour but he would have appreciated it more if Ren could take the first steps towards being responsible.

Lieutenant Mitaka arrived to see Hux off. He seemed flustered, some of the strands of his hair out of place. His cheeks were flushed and his cap wasn’t put fully on his head. Hux rose an eyebrow, suspecting that Mitaka woke up later than he wanted. He stood up straight and saluted the General. Hux raised his hand, signaling it was alright for Mitaka to relax.

“Lieutenant. I wasn’t expecting you,” Hux said. That was a lie, he knew Mitaka would see him off no matter what the mission was. Hux could have just been visiting family for an hour, not that he had any family, and the loyal lieutenant would make the effort to say goodbye or relay final orders for Hux.

Honestly, Mitaka was a godsend. When Hux spoke of respect and fear of Ren, Mitaka was a perfect example. His respect for Hux made Mitaka go the extra mile to please him and work with perfunctory effort, while his fear of Ren made him nervous and slowed down his work. 

“I had to make sure your departure went accordingly. Best of luck, sir. I am sure the delegations will go well,” Mitaka said. Hux put his hands on his hips, his lips curling upwards slightly. 

“I’m sure I can handle it. We’ll see about Lord Ren though,” Hux told him. Mitaka instantly tensed up. Again, a perfect example of Hux’s effect on the crew in comparison to Ren’s dreadful presence.

“Lord Ren is going with you?” Mitaka asked worriedly. Hux raised an eyebrow and Mitaka added a hurried, “Sir!”

“Supreme Leaders orders.” Mitaka folded his hands in front of his body and shifted his jaw stressfully. 

There was one drawback to Mitaka’s relentless loyalty, he tended to worry about Hux too much. His intentions were good, but it also implied Hux couldn’t handle Ren. He was right and wrong in various ways but Hux rather say that Mitaka was wrong to assert his strength.

Hux sighed. “Don’t worry Lieutenant. We must all start somewhere, Lord Ren is just starting here. He’s better off the ship anyway. I trust you’ll keep things running well in my absence.”

Mitaka wasn’t Hux’s next in command, Captain Peavey, unfortunately, tended to grab that task of watching the bridge, but he was Hux’s lookout with Captain Opan. Opan has a different role than Mitaka though.

“May I speak plainly sir?” Mitaka asked apprehensively.

“Go ahead,” Hux said. He tilted his head to the side when he noticed Kylo striding down towards him, bags in hand.

“Lord Ren is a danger to you I believe. I know you are capable, sir, but perhaps there is a better way to-”

“Mitaka,” Hux said firmly, looking to the imposing figure standing behind the poor, poor lieutenant. Mitaka shut up immediately, feeling Kylo’s large gloves hand grab his shoulder.

Mitaka jumped at the feeling then turned slowly. Kylo’s mask hid his emotions and his stance didn’t reveal much of anything either. Mitaka, on the other hand, was visibly cowering. The poor man went through so many shades of white and grey across his face so quickly. Hux made a note to work on Mitaka’s ‘bravery,’ though he did understand the intimidation. 

“Lord Ren,” Mitaka stammered. Kylo didn’t say anything. Mitaka gulped and tightened his lips. “Have a good trip sirs, I am sure of its success.”

Mitaka quickly walked away, keeping his eyes to his feet as he did so. Hux stared at Ren, unamused. When Mitaka was out of sight, Ren spoke.

“Not only is he your shadow, General, but he also appears to be your puppy as well,” Kylo jeered, stepping onto the shuttle. Hux followed, rolling his eyes and tucking his hands behind his back as he walked.

“Mitaka means well,” Hux said, acknowledging the stormtroopers who saluted them. Hux and Kylo walked down the corridors of the large shuttle towards their rooms, where the path was clear of troopers. Somehow Hux always got stuck close to Ren. He figured no one else would take any spot near Ren anyhow.

“Being cowardly and gossiping isn’t exactly meaning well,” Ren retorted, slight sarcasm floating in his voice. His vocoder often changed his tone, but Hux came to know Ren as being overly sarcastic and degrading towards others when he wasn’t engulfed in rage. He wondered where he got his tongue from because he doubted Snoke taught Ren his sass.

“You will not undermine my men,  _Ky-lo,_ ” Hux warned, exaggerating the syllables of the knight’s name.

Kylo turned and slammed Hux against the wall with a thud. Hux gasped, shutting his mouth quickly when Kylo put his hand against his neck. The cold, uneven metal against Hux caused his hairs to stand up. Hux tilted his face upwards, glaring at the knight.

“Watch your tone General,” Kylo told him. He had a bit more pressure to Hux’s neck and Hux exhaled sharply through his nose. 

“Remove your hand from me,” Hux said through his teeth. Ren seemed to caress the sides of his neck before releasing Hux. Ren disappeared down the corridor into his room at the end of the hall without another room.

Hux felt his neck after Kylo disappeared, not wanting the force user to see him check himself as if he was afraid of Ren’s power. There were no injuries, the feeling merely worked up Hux. He didn’t particularly like being throttled by the neck in most contexts. Hux suspected Kylo liked the domineering feeling of choking someone out, but not necessarily the sexual appeal (or at least, Hux hadn’t exposed Kylo for the sexuality of it).

He tried not to stay too much on the feeling in case Kylo caught his thoughts and feelings through the force, Hux moved on from the thoughts. He went to his room, using a key code to open it. As much as it may have been an excessive waste of valuable space on the ship, he was glad to have his own room. 

Hux’s bags were already in his room. The trip to Quirinal would only be about three standard hours but Hux considered taking a nap. He knew he should get any sleep he could, but he had the strange inclination to dream again. The dream was just surreal in every sense but brought Hux this strange warmth. Hux never had good dreams or memorable ones in fact. Even the few that Kylo invaded didn’t stick with him long.

Looking at the bed, Hux unzipped his boots and stepped out of them. He knew by sleeping he’d ruin his gelled hair and crinkle his uniform but he planned to change before dropping down on Quirinal.

The ship gave a beep, warning that takeoff would commence soon. He sighed and sat down on the bed, datapad in hand. Hux laid down, staring at the glowing screen of his datapad deciding to make sure he had all the correct facts about Quirinal. Unlike Ren, Hux planned to make a good impression on the planet. 

He reread the information on Quirinal as carefully as he could. He knew about the planet, but Hux wanted to be sure he wouldn’t inadvertently offend them in some way. Kylo definitely would. He considered sending a message to Ren to make sure he actually read up on Quirinal but he didn’t want to open up the opportunity for Ren to converse with him.

Quirinal was known for its warm climate and advancements in medicine. It made large progressions in its once impoverished society with their various forms of medicine from machines to herbal. They played a lot with different experimental bactas, which namely an army needed the most of. And, perhaps luckily, they have been seemingly neutral. The problem was that their neighbors were Resistance sympathetic, which made the planet uncertain about having an alignment with the First Order. 

The addition of the planet in Hux’s hand would be exponential. The medical supplies would prove great, and the chance at more troopers, but Quirinal was almost a hotspot for tourism and important to many planets who had injuries or diseases they needed assistance with. A connection with them would greatly improve the First Order’s outreach.

Hux yawned and rubbed his eyes. He scrolled through the notes, reading a hefty paragraph about the planet’s climate and how now it is being popularized as a tourist spot to go swimming and sunbathing. Hux didn’t plan to do either of those things. He can’t imagine Ren dressing out of his robes either. It is a true testament to if Ren read about the planet if he decided to keep his cowl and endure the heat. It is amusing, but Hux probably wasn’t one to talk because he was weak to the heat.

Hux kept thinking about warmth. The thought of the strength of the sun and how its energy warmed that planet made Hux slip into a state of relaxation. He was imagining it again, that comforting warmth from the galaxy. He knew damn well that the galaxy was a heartless, cold void and that the stars would set fire to any planet caught too close to it, but that dreamy warmth of little cosmoses wrapping themselves onto Hux.

When Hux opened his eyes, he was back floating in the pool of space. He was bare again except for the clouds of cosmoses and star wrapping around his hips like a sheet. He was warm but it wasn’t the same as before. Kylo wasn’t there. He was utterly alone, yet didn’t feel lonely.

There was a presence that Hux couldn’t explain. He didn’t know where it came but Hux just felt as if something was there trying to comfort him. A dark cloudy mass appeared in front of him, glittering and sparkling like thunderclouds. Apprehensive, Hux put his hand out to it. His middle finger touched the galactic cloud and pulled back slightly. It just felt like near transparent cotton. He inserted his hand into the cloud, finding it to heat his hand. Hux wanted to stick his face into it but pushed the impulse away. 

It felt like he was both touching something yet touching nothing tangible at the same time. The feeling confused and intrigued him. 

When he began to pull back his hand, white glowing streams emerged from it and began to wrap itself around Hux’s arm. He panicked for a moment, trying to pull away but found that the pull of the cloud wasn’t threatening. It was almost needy, lonely. It released Hux and began to float away and Hux suddenly was filled with a sorrow that ran down his face.

“Wait,” he called to it, reaching his hand out. It seemed to reach its hand out as well.

“Hux?” A voice asked. It wasn’t the call of the galaxy though, it was Ren’s voice. It was mellowed out though, questioning Hux.

Hux turned around to see Ren standing in front of him, dressed in black. He was standing and Hux realized he suddenly was standing too, in comparison to how he was floating before. He was clothed again but was dressed in a white fabric like some sort of gown. The galaxy around him was gone. Hux frowned his brow when the warmth of space was gone, only to be replaced by Ren who stood away from him.

Hux woke when the shuttle rumbled. His datapad nearly sliding onto the floor but a Hux quickly caught it before it could startle anyone nearby. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, realizing he had ended up taking a nap. He was partially disappointed in himself for actually having a nap.

Hux ran his fingers through his hair to try to get his hair back into place but knew it was hopeless. After sitting up and stretching, Hux grabbed his bag off the floor and headed to the refresher. He needed to clean up before arriving on Quirinal.

He had momentarily forgotten about his lonely wanderings in space. He had momentarily forgotten about his loneliness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you want me to add any tags lmk, that being said tags and ratings may change. Also, I have no beta reader so, go easy on me. we'll see where i go with this. lastly i don't know how to use ao3 so uh... rip. 
> 
> follow me on tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com)


	2. Divide and Conquer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> literally no one:  
> me: so this chapter is like over 7,000 words. and it's the second one.

Kylo Ren was surprised that when he left his room Hux wasn’t waiting for him, ready to berate him for not changing into comfortable attire. Hux wouldn’t have noticed, but Kylo had actually worn fewer clothes than usual. He lost a layer of an undershirt to his attire. Kylo didn’t like exposing his skin to anyone, he liked the atmosphere of mystery he radiated. The fewer others knew about him, the better.

His mask stared into Hux’s door, considering opening it to pester the General. He reached inwards with the Force, detecting that Hux was up and about. Hux’s mind was strangely calm, almost stagnant like a low-frequency wave. Hux’s brain was almost never relaxed. It was constantly bouncing around from thought to thought. His mind was well organized like a filing cabinet of information, but he was constantly rummaging through the files.

Trying to be polite, but to also tease Hux, Ren reached out to knock on the door only to sense Hux was coming out anyhow. Ren withdrew and stepped back as the door opened. Hux flinched when he saw a big, black figure waiting for him. When Hux looked up to the looming figure, Ren felt his face heat up.

Hux had changed his appearance on the ship. He looked more well rested and much more handsome than he usually did. Kylo figured his calm mind and longer sleeping hours had something to do with it. Hux skin, though clear, was brighter and had more color to it. His cheeks appeared pinker than they naturally were and Kylo suspected Hux was wearing some sort of subtle blushing on his cheeks.

The General of the First Order was wearing  _rouge_ for some ungodly reason (Incorrect, ungodly would be blasphemy in its context. Hux was  _angelic_ in his looser, cleaner form). The blush made him appear cuter. Cute wouldn’t really be a statement associated with the fearless general, but something about Hux’s rosy cheeks made Ren enthralled. His cheekbones and the tip of Hux’s nose also seemed to shine more than usual, and Kylo didn’t know if it was from glitter or moisturizer. He didn’t know much about makeup but he knew Hux was certainly wearing some (Ren pushed away from the memories of his mother sitting in front of her mirror blushing her own cheeks and scolding him for throwing around her makeup brushes).

Hux’s hair was still gelled but in a different style that made him more appealing. He didn’t push back his hair all the way like he usually did. He had neatly moved his side part to cover half of the forehead as it would naturally, except it was firmly in place with his hair gel. Kylo was only slightly disappointed with Hux’s hair. It would have been nice to see it be free of gel but Kylo could appreciate it at least being in a style closest to its natural form.

Ren didn’t realize he was staring so hard until Hux had scrunched up his face and made an annoyed groan.

“Why are you standing outside my door staring you creep?” Hux said bluntly. That sharp tongue would get him in more trouble later in his days, but at the moment Ren was too baffled to harass him for his comments.

“You’re all dolled up, General?” Kylo questioned, catching himself from stammering. Hux shifted his eyes from side to side.

“I’m just trying to be presentable,” Hux said, moving past Ren to await their landing. Ren merely followed Hux as a shadow to his brightened features.

Ren continued, “Never thought you were the type to wear, what is it, blush? Glitter?”

Hux rolled his eyes. Even his outfit was different. It was still pitch black like his usual uniform but appeared thinner. It was made of some sort of charmeuse fabric. It had a sheen to it and was not padded at the shoulders in contrast to the General’s traditional style. He was without his large, imposing jacket as well that usually swung off of shoulders and gave Hux an image of grace and ruthlessness.

It was an entirely different presence this outfit gave him. It was more welcoming if that was the word for it, and though he showed Hux’s status of authority it somehow made him suaver. A big First Order emblem was posted on his upper left arm and he had a pin of the emblem on the right side of his chest. Even Hux’s belt appeared tighter in contrast to the belt Hux usually wore on the Finalizer that made him appear bigger.

Hux held his commander’s cap tightly. He placed it on his head as if it would prevent Ren from staring daggers into the back of his skull. Despite being a General, Hux didn’t necessarily like being stared at. He liked when people admired and listened to him but being eyed was different. Ren added a new level of discomfort with the mask on his face and his obvious interest in Hux.

“I don’t feel the need to explain how dressing nice makes a good impression on people. Maybe you should wash that greasy hair of yours since it’s always stuck in that bomb shelter of a mask,” Hux retorted with a scrunched up nose, making his disgust extremely apparent.

Ah, again with the mask insults. It seemed like a running gag with Hux, though he never seemed pleased with his own jokes.

“You dislike my mask so much?” Kylo asked rhetorically. Hux stopped and turned around, peering into the intersection of the hall that led to the access bay.

“Is it that obvious?” Hux spat sarcastically. Ren didn’t know why he bothered. “No, I’m not fond of it. I think that’s clear every time I ask you to take it off. It’s a cheap trick in hiding your emotions because we both know you cannot control them.”

Ren wanted to bite back at the General again. He balled his fists up but found his anger dissipating as he skimmed Hux’s mind and unraveled what was obvious.

Hux liked seeing his face. For practical reasons, yes, but Hux found something comforting in his face. Ren grinned with pride behind his mask. Poor General, so malleable when he saw someone’s brooding eyes. It was hypocritical of him to think of his General as being so easy since Ren was ready to lick Hux’s lips when he saw his new look. Even Hux, who demanded order in Ren, only was controlled and exposed by his most primal instincts.

The shuttle shook. Neither of them toppled but knew it was time to exit. They strolled to the docking bay where their troopers waited, blasters in hand. Ren tended to not bother with reading the minds of the mindless troopers unless he was looking for something specific. He and Hux stood out amongst them in an impractical way when considered, but there was in fact power in appearance. The dark clothes on Hux and Ren’s backs that contrasted their troopers showed how powerful they are. In a sea of blasters, they wanted to be seen. They wanted to show how untouchable they were.

Hux today contrasted everyone with exceptional beauty. Ren did notice some of the troops try to sneak a glance at their General, curious of his new look. An engrossing attraction didn’t infect the trooper’s minds, but Ren still felt that his face tightened at the thought of everyone just staringat Hux. He didn’t understand how the General would be okay with this. 

The shuttle landed on Quirinal, blowing out the dust from under the ship. The landing gear was ejected out and the ship settled with relative ease. Once the ship landed, the ramp came out of the ship and the doors opened. Hux squinted at the sudden sunlight blaring into the ship. Ren and Hux were surrounded by troopers as they exited. Kylo himself didn’t feel as if they needed any troopers given that he was there. He wasn’t going to act like Hux’s glorified bodyguard but he certainly was a better choice than any of the troopers (not that he was undermining their abilities at all, no, he  _wouldn't_  want to insult Hux at all).

When they were freed of the ship’s confinement the group was immediately hit with the humidity of the planet. It wasn’t the worst heat the planet could have had but Hux was still uncomfortable in his boots. His cheeks instantly flushed at the heat. Ren looked to him to notice his rosier complexion. So much for wearing blush, the sun was a more effective rouge than whatever powder Hux had put on.

A strange alien was there to greet the knight and the general, having their own guards dressed in green and copper armor. The bipedal alien had purple skin and large, fluffy feline-like ears protruding from its head. The voluptuous dark hair that sat on its head was hardly contained by a copper wire that was wrapped midway down its hair. The alien wore dark green pants and a similarly shaded top. The legs of its pants were larger to allow more airflow and the sleeves of the top was large and fit extremely loosely around the alien’s arms, allowing it to dangle.

“General Hux, so wonderful to finally make your acquaintance,” the feline alien said formally. The alien’s voice was exceedingly feminine. The alien bowed their head politely.

“Nice to meet you…” Hux paused as an invitation for the alien’s name.

“Ms. Manto Domus. But you may call me Manto,” she said. As she talked her ears flicked and turned. Hux couldn’t help but peer. “I am the assistant to Prince Himero Dolos.”

She froze up suddenly when her eyes met the ceaseless gaze of Ren’s mask. She cleared her throat and adjusted the collar of her uniform. She continued, “And this must be the knight Kylo Ren.”

Seeing that Ren wouldn’t speak for himself, Hux took initiative. It was for the best that Ren didn’t speak at all, Hux considered, as Ren’s thoughts processed into verbal speech was bound to piss off someone important.

“Yes, he’ll be accompanying us occasionally,” Hux said, emphasizing the occasionally so Manto knew that his presence wouldn’t be a burden. Manto looked at him up and down, her eyes seeming unimpressed.

“Of course. Anything for Snoke’s General and Knight,” Manto replied. She softly inhaled sharply as if she said something inappropriate. Ren stiffened at her words, curious. Manto looked down. Her tightened lips and datapad she held against her body couldn’t hide the downward twitch of her ears and Ren’s flow of the Force.

She was hiding something. It was already so apparent, and it was such a shameful weakness to reveal those hidden thoughts so soon. Ren figured Snoke’s purpose for sending him on this diplomatic mission wasn’t to play ambassador, it was to play with the mysterious ways Force. He couldn’t know for sure. The alien may have just been hiding something without importance.

Hux couldn’t read people like Ren could, that much was obvious.

When Ren skimmed her head lightly with the Force, her eyes immediately shot to him. He stopped, shocked by her glaring eyes. He was also surprised to find how hidden her thoughts were. Something was definitely  _there_ , but now easy skim of her mind wouldn’t prove to be fruitful.

“I will escort you both to the Prince’s castle. You two must be warm, I do apologize,” she said plainly, leading the group to the land cruiser.

Hux instructed the troops as they followed Manto, directing their instructions to try to stay out of the scene as much as possible. Ren took it that any sign of threat or distrust would offend the beings on Quirinal.

Once they got into the luxurious and spacey cruiser, they traveled to the castle in which the prince resided. The more they traveled into the tropical lands of Quirinal the stranger Kylo began to feel.

Something inside him shifted uncomfortably, whenever it was the force or some sort of nervousness he couldn’t tell. The warmth that hugged his body didn’t help either and Manto didn’t seem to have put on any cooling system on the cruiser.

Ren knew he had a particular mission on Quirinal, he just didn’t know what it was. He already figured Snoke didn’t want him asking too many questions. It was Ren’s task to find his own truth, deduct his own mission based on the clues around him. He glanced to Hux who was sitting next to him, politely speaking to Manto who seemed more relaxed than earlier. Hux was asking about her culture. She was some sort of alien called a Fyus, not that Ren had seen many of them.

He tried to skim her mind again, this time more carefully. His force powers threaded her mind like it was thin ice, trying not to alert her. She wasn't force sensitive but the force moved through her strangely. He hadn’t felt anything like it before. Perhaps it had something to do with her species. He pressed a little deeper, testing his limits.

Ren was only met with a blast of colors in his head. Red and blue cosmoses plagued his thoughts, its stars suffocating him and pulling at him. It didn’t hurt his head, it just felt exceedingly uncomfortable. There was a sudden, strange presence in the back of his mind. He felt as though he should pluck that piece of his brain and suffocate it. That, or embrace it. He wasn’t sure. He just hated the feeling it was supplying. The cosmoses choked him and made him feel useless, useless…

_Useless?_

He was only snapped out of these strange thoughts when Hux tapped his upper arm. Ren instantly flinched and the cosmoses vanished. Instead, he was met with a star that sparkled in Hux’s eye. He glanced down to Hux who was still red in the face with his mix of blush and overheating. Through the entire heat, Hux didn’t complain. He seemed strangely calm the whole time they were heading to Quirinal.

“Ren, relax would you?” Hux asked softly. Ren didn’t even notice he was changing the atmosphere aboard the speeder. The troopers appeared tense and Manto was squeezing her datapad.

Ren huffed underneath his helmet and the atmosphere relaxed. One of the troopers gave a relieved huff and Hux frowned at his need to express his sudden comfort.

Manto was staring at Ren, side-eyeing him. Her ears made it more obvious she was observing the force user. There was a distinct distrust between them and Ren wanted to find out why. The alien plagued his mind with uncertainties, with images of space and color that were riddled with the force’s pull. If she meant to portray some sort of force sensitivity, he didn’t know. But he knew one thing: He was the Jedi Killer. And if this girl had the force following through her, he knew he must have been reasoned to decide her fate. To destroy her or take her sense of reality over.

Kylo glanced to Hux and skimmed the General’s own mind.

Hux thought of glowing multicolored stars that he’d one day conquer. Ren said nothing.

 

/////

 

The palace of Prince Himero was made up of white marble and copper designs. It was a glorious building. The city they had landed in was clean and white, the design made to reflect the harsh heat of the sun. When they passed bodies of water, Hux would perk up slightly at the coolness it supplied. He definitely wasn’t made for the humidity, he didn’t know how Ren hadn’t yet complained.

Once they stepped off the cruiser they traveled through the courtyard of the building which was decorated with neatly cared for exotic plants. Some strange exotics animals rested among the plants, unfazed by the arrival of the newcomers. A strange pig looking creature with small tusks came up and even sniffled Hux, making little snorting noises as it did so. Hux lifted his leg abruptly and the pig flinched before calmly walking away. He half thought to kick the damn thing if it hadn’t been so weirdly polite.

Half of the stormtroopers stayed on the cruiser and headed back to the ship to repark it and guard it. Hux found it unnecessary to arrive with so many troopers. Snoke had suggested taking little, but even the small amount seemed like too much. The planet made him more relaxed than he expected, especially with Ren around. He also felt more secure with Ren around, though he didn’t want to admit it.

Manto led them into the main entryway where a young human man was standing, awaiting their arrival. The man was somewhere in between Hux and Kylo’s height. He wasn’t as broad as Ren was, but the man was robust. He had olive skin and dark black hair that was tied back into a short ponytail. He had a neat beard on his face that had strange shaved designs into it, like the waves of the violent sea. On top of his head was a copper, circular crown with a large gem stuck in the center.

He smiled upon seeing his guest, flashing his white teeth. The man was undeniably handsome, but Kylo already found him irritating. It was clear in his smile that he knew he was handsome.

“Ah, the young General Hux, so glad to finally make your acquaintance,” the man said. Hux gave a little curt bow of his head. Kylo watched the man’s eyes follow Hux’s head motions. He had subtle heterochromia in his eyes, one eye having a deep, dark brown and the other a much brighter, hazel like tone. Each eye was like looking at the rich earth in the lighting of the sun and the other like it was encased in the dusk of night.

“Prince Himero Dolos, thank you for welcoming us to your planet,” Hux supplied. Hux seemed a bit proud that the prince had addressed Hux by his title. Kylo couldn’t care to fathom why he was so flattered. The prince was a bit older than Kylo, closer to Hux’s age, but young looking nonetheless.

“The pleasure is all mine to see such a successful General. I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” Himero supplied charmingly. It was also clear that Himero believed that he was the master of flattery. Kylo was about to roll his eyes right out of his damn sockets. What made Ren more curious was the fact that Hux seemed enthralled by his compliments. Or was he just enthralled by the prince?

Kylo found it unbelievable either way. It amazed him he had the patience to deal with such jackassery. He would behave for now, not necessarily for Hux’s sake, but so he could learn more about the strange interactions with the force he had had. Kylo glanced to Manto, who seemed preoccupied with her datapad.

When Himero actually looked to Ren, his charming smile seemed to vanish. The prince didn’t appear threatened by the eyeless mask he wore.

“Ah, this must be Supreme Leader’s Snoke apprentice,” Himero said, tucking his hands into his front pockets and standing up straighter. Ren tilted his head slightly to show his curiosity towards the prince.

Hux glanced over his shoulder to look at Ren. He shot the knight a quick look that warned him to stay behaved before looking back to the prince. Even though the glance was quick, Ren couldn’t help but try to catch all the little details of Hux’s dolled up face. He swore he saw freckles hiding on the General’s face.

“Yes, don't mind Lord Ren though. He is here to observe,” Hux said.

“I’m his bodyguard,” Ren suddenly said. Hux’s shoulders tensed. Ren didn’t mean it literally, but he was amused at how displeased Hux became. So full of himself, Ren thought, for not wanting someone to be his bodyguard yet flaunting his stormtroopers.

“Oh, well we weren’t expecting you but the more the merrier!” Himero cheered but something about him smile seemed insincere. Ren skimmed his mind quickly with the Force. Himero’s mind, like Manto’s, had an odd registry in the force and seemed guarded tightly. He could sense the man’s base emotions but couldn’t find his intentions easily.

Himero was intrigued by what Kylo could gather, but the prince seemed more intrigued with Hux than with the dark knight himself. When Himero looked over Ren, he seemed smug and radiated crude amusement. Ren half expected a prince to be full of himself but didn’t think anyone would be amused at the prospect of a force user lurking around. Ren made another mental note on why Quirinal was a planet that required his special attention. Snoke must have sent him to Quirinal to snoop out the planet’s strange reactions to the Force.

_Uncertainty._

Ren had been separated from his knights lately to make hunting Jedi, force artifacts, and discovering new force users more efficient. While Ren was primarily tasked with finding Skywalker (he ground his teeth at the thought of the man), he wished he was among his knights. He thought back to what Hux said about fear and respect. Surely this mission would garner him the respect he wanted from Hux if he played his cards right. Ren hated to admit it, but Hux was the only person he had left to be accompanied by without his knights. Granted, Hux’s company was something much different than what he had with the knights.  

“Well, allow me to escort you to your rooms. Then we will discuss having our little talk and dinner. I wish to give you a tour of what my humble planet has to offer,” Prince Himero said with a large smile on his face. His canine teeth seemed sharp to Hux, like they could cut into someone easily. It made Himero’s charmingness have an element of dominance.

“Ah yes, I’d appreciate a tour,” Hux replied. He glanced back to Ren, eyeing the man carefully.  _Don’t screw this up._

Ren just stayed silent. Himero snapped his fingers. Two purple aliens who were the same species as Manto rushed over. Himero spoke to them in a foreign language but Ren guessed they were ordered to carry their bags. Himero looked to Manto.

“Please begin dinner preparations for our guest. Make the meal bountiful! And escort General Hux’s troopers either back to their ship or to their own rooms,” Himero instructed. Manto bowed her head. Himero looked to Hux, almost asking for approval.

“Oh. I assume we won’t need them. I mean I have… my bodyguard,” Hux said. Himero smiled again at him.  

Ren could tell Hux was trying to be civil to Himero to gain his trust but he didn’t exactly understand  _why_ he had to do it in such a fashion that irritated him. Hux didn’t typically kiss up to get someone’s approval. He usually just persuaded them naturally. But there, Hux stood in his pretty makeup and polite form trying to act  _kindly_ to the smug prince. Ren really didn’t understand it.

Unless…

Prince Himero put a hand to his hip and had an empty space made with the bending of his elbow. He looked to Hux, waiting. Hux blinked and seemed to have a realization of what Himero wanted, then put his own arm through the hole Himero made and held the man’s arm.

Ren felt his eye twitch. He also suddenly felt the lightsaber on his belt seem heavier. He took a deep breath in.

Hux couldn’t be seriously letting this man flirt with him? More importantly, Hux couldn’t be flirting back? Ren stood there, seething in confusion and anger.

He didn’t realize Hux was looking back at him, frowning. “Come on Ren.”

Ren felt frozen in place for half a second. He didn’t even know why he was so irritated. Hux was allowed to do whatever he wanted and granted he probably was doing it for the First Order, but it didn’t stop Ren from wanting to throttle the stupid, handsome prince.

He followed behind Hux and Himero, quiet. Himero was talking Hux’s ear off and Hux just listened, occasionally adding with something insightful. Hux kept his face neutral.

They were led to a large set of double doors that were full of intricate designs with copper and gold. There was a symbol on the door that looked like an infinity with a slash through its middle. Ren didn’t recognize it but didn’t question it either knowing Hux would nag him for not reading the information that was given to them beforehand.

The two purple cat eared aliens that were holding their bags opened the door to reveal the beautiful room inside. Hux’s face lit up, his gaze fixed. Ren was impressed as well, but he’s also seen many impressive rooms in his lifetime. The room was decorated in all sorts of copper and gold and everything appeared to be meticulously placed. There were large windows with their curtains pulled back to let in natural sunlight and show a gorgeous view of the Quirinalian ocean, which itself was a lovely shade of blue-green. The aliens put their bags down in the room on the coffee table and swiftly left.

“I do apologize, if we knew Kylo Ren was arriving we would have gotten another room ready, or at least a bigger one.” Himero paused as if he was waiting for Hux to react. Hux didn’t say anything, seeming more amazed by the loveliness of the room. Himero gave a little chuckle at Hux’s amazement.

 _How cute,_  Kylo heard Himero think. Ren clenched his jaw. He didn’t… disagree but Hux would disprove of the thought.

“It’s fine,” Ren asserted. Himero cocked an eyebrow at Ren.

“Ah, that’s good,” Himero replied, but his tone suggested he was suspicious of Ren for some reason. “There is a rather large couch and if you want, I can unlock the side room that’s meant to keep the children. But obviously, I thought you would not need one General because you are without children,” Himero explained. Hux seemed to catch onto what Himero was trying to find out but kept his mouth shut on the subject.

“I think Lord Ren will manage,” Hux said. Himero huffed, giving a fake smile to Hux. Hux assumed Himero’s displeasure became clearer because he wouldn’t reveal the state of his relationship with Ren. For that, Ren was grateful but it only confirmed the snoopiness and brashness of the prince. Hux slipped his arm out of Himero, done with giving the prince the satisfaction of his attention. Hux didn’t do so to offend the prince, he merely was curious with the room.

Ren was surprised Hux didn’t get flustered at Himero’s mention of Hux being childless. He didn’t think the topic was taboo, but Hux was usually so reserved and defensive about anything in his personal life. That included Ren. Ren considered himself at least part of Hux’s personal life sexually but Hux never wanted to talk about it. To a point, it caused Ren unbridled frustration but to another point, he didn’t know how to talk about it either. He didn’t like Himero getting held by Hux though.

“Well, I will let you two settle. There’s a remote in the personal kitchen. If you need anything quickly, just press one of the labeled buttons. There’s one for food services, health, or if you want to request a call for me. We don’t use a public channel in the castle for safety purposes, and so things are attended to quickly. I will come back in about two hours if you haven’t left,” Himero told Hux, folding his hands behind his back.

“Thank you very much Prince Himero. This room is lovely and I look forward to our discussion,” Hux replied, giving a quick bow of the head.

Before Himero walked off, he gave Ren a side eye with a stupid little smirk on his face. It took Ren all his might not to throttle the man.

Ren walked into the suite and shut the door behind him, not needing any more of Himero’s presence. The doors made several clicking noises, suggesting that they had automatic locks to secure the doors shut. Ren took off his helmet, only then realizing how hot he had been. He shook his head, letting his dark hair free from its suffocated shape. His forehead felt wet from sweat. Ren rubbed his face with his sleeve, hoping to get rid of his shine.

Hux removed his cap and hung it on a golden rack. He proceeded to look around the room, glancing at every little detail of the shiny wallpaper and marble floors. Ren narrowed his eyes at Hux.

“Why are you acting like some princess?” Ren asked, throwing his helmet onto the couch. Hux didn’t look at him, now touching some green exotic plant.

“What? What does that mean?” Hux asked though he didn’t seem interested in talking.

“You, dressing up with makeup and then holding onto that disrespectful  _idiot’s_ arm! Clinging to him!”

“Clinging? Ren, I was just being polite. This planet feeds off of flattery basically. Himero is just friendly. I don’t care for it, but I obviously would like him to be open to an allyship,” Hux explained. Ren couldn’t believe Hux was acting like nothing was happening.

Ren didn’t understand why he was getting so angry.

“You- you don’t get to pretend to be so innocent!” Ren yelled, but again Hux seemed disinterested. Hux kept looking around the room. “Politeness doesn’t require cozying up to him.”

Hux suddenly looked up with a raised eyebrow. “Are you jealous or something Ren?”

Ren shut up suddenly. He felt the heat rise in his cheeks. Was he jealous?

“No,” Ren answered firmly. He began to tear off layers of his clothes. It was too hot on the damn planet. Hux went back to carefully looking around the room. He picked up a lid off a jar that contained some sort of wrapped candy. “What are you doing?”

“Looking around. It’s a gorgeous room. But I’m also looking for any sort of listening device.”

Ah, so Hux didn’t really trust Himero. It was reassuring for Ren.

_Why is that so reassuring?_

With a quick scan using the Force, Ren was able to answer Hux’s concerns. “There are none I can detect.”

Hux put the lid back on the candy jar, shaking his head to himself. He was refraining from trying a piece. He continued to investigate the room, heading to the kitchen. Ren followed quietly, seeing that Hux didn’t want to talk to him but having nothing better to do.

The kitchen was a decent size, only having what is needed for practical cooking. Hux was shocked by the amount of copper that decorated the palace, practically being thrown around. He found the remote Himero had told them about. Upon a quick inspection, Hux put it back down. Ren, bored of watching, began looking about the kitchen’s cupboards. He found various strange snacks and brands he didn’t immediately recognize. Ren just began to pull out what seemed interesting and put them on the counter.

“Can you not wait until dinner?” Hux asked.

“Unlike you, I’m not heading to some  _talk_ with a prince who will most likely pamper you in drinks and strange food platters. I’ll be stuck here, so I would like to eat something,” Ren said peevishly.

“Why don’t you just come to the meeting?”

Ren was quick to answer, “Absolutely not.”

Hux frowned his brows, snatching a box that Ren seemed intent on opening. It was one of the only brands Ren recognized, some sugary cereal. Usually, Ren wasn't so indulging, but since Quirinal was a vacation planet and they were being pampered, he might as well take the opportunity.

“Didn’t Snoke send you here for this? Honestly Ren, I don’t understand you. You want to show your master that you’re a good dog,” Hux gave a short pause, echoing Ren’s earlier comment on Mitaka. Ren glared and Hux continued, “yet you do nothing but avoid your task at hand. At least, you avoid the ones you view as below the Force or whatever.”

Ren mumbled something that Hux didn’t catch. Ren’s face was dark.

“What was that?” Hux asked, his voice raised.

“I said,” Ren boomed with a sneer, “that’s hypocritical given you always avoid everything you don’t understand or can’t figure out clearly.”

“What the kriff are you talking about?” The audacity of Ren always amazed him, how he dared to think he was special because he could move things with his mind like some cheap magician. “I work every day of my damn life while you sulk around and destroy my property! First Order property! At least I can say I am making progress for the galaxy, what in the hells are you doing?”

Fury rising, Ren didn’t even miss a beat.

“I’m sorry General, is your  _ass_ suddenly First Order property? I wasn’t aware you were some First Order consort, no wonder you cozy up so nicely to that degenerate Prince!” Ren almost regretted the statement knowing that he’d have to deal with it for the whole trip, but he was more surprised he said the word degenerate.

Hux’s face instantly turned red. Out of instinct and with nothing but it in his hand, Hux smacked Ren in the chest with the box of cereal. Ren just caught it against his chest but then threw it on the floor. He wanted to step on it but turned his full attention to Hux who was boiling red in embarrassment and anger.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you so  _intent_ in always trying to make me some whore! You fucking prick! The only one seeming to be desiring some sexual life if you! And why are you so jealous of the stupid prince?! It’s not like  _you_ have anything to do with my romantic life!” Hux yelled, a vein throbbing in his neck. Ren stiffened, shutting his mouth before the next rounds of his arguing could leave him.

Hux’s stance suddenly became more reserved and defensive. His mouth made a small ‘o’ but he refrained from saying anything. Ren could see Hux calculating. He could sense the little neurons in his mind going  _ping ping ping!_

Hux had a point and Ren half considered it. Why was he wasting his time with the General? In the end, anything with Hux, any relationship or conversation, it wouldn’t matter because they were on two different planes of existence. They were far from compatible.

He wasn’t even supposed to have a sensual relationship with anyone. Snoke had warned him. Still, Ren couldn’t help but feel a heavy load of emotions. Disappointment, rage, contempt…

Turning sharply, Ren left Hux with a low tone, “I’m going to meditate. Don’t disrupt me.”

He stormed off before Hux could say anything, not that Hux had any more choice words. Before leaving, he decided to skim Hux’s head again.

_Confusion._

Ren found the bedroom that was supposed to be for Hux and locked himself in it. He’d make sure he’d leave when the General would want to sleep because the General most likely expected his luxurious bed.

Ren sat down on the floor and faced the window. There was a beautiful view of the ocean as it tumbled in the distance. Ren wanted to smash the window and go run to the sea to swim, but even he knew that would be the worst possible thing right then. He highly considered choking Hux at that moment but then he’d ruin Hux’s precious pretty face that he had dolled up for Himero.

Unable to actually meditate, Ren was able to hear Hux when he left. For the meeting or just to wander, Ren wasn’t sure, but he didn’t care. Ren sat crossed legged and tried to calm his breathing. He didn’t want to waste his energy right now on Hux when there was a whole new planet with a strange reaction to the force.

He searched the planet with the Force and he still found the same strange force registry. It wasn’t necessarily of the dark or light side, it was just different. The force felt more lively and cautious at the same time, just like Manto’s mind. Perhaps Manto’s reaction was just an unintentional after effect of her being exposed to the Force, but he couldn’t help but think she was at least a little force sensitive. She wasn’t wholly, otherwise, Ren would know for certain. Ren kept recycling upon this idea.

The Force seemed to call to Ren, it wanted to tell him something. He let it in.

Pain burst in his head and he almost immediately pushed it away, but then a cooling mist spread across him. He couldn’t see anything but he still had his other senses. He heard something, someone. They sounded like they were crying but the sound was distant.

Was this a vision of the future? Ren wasn’t sure. The crying got louder- no they were sobbing. Hard. Pained. Hopeless. He never heard the crying before but he couldn’t help but feel like he knew it.

 _Hux?_ He asked, but he wasn’t sure if he asked it out loud or in his head.

Suddenly the image was revealed to him. Hux was in his uniform, sitting on the ground in a defeated form. Something seemed to be in his arms but the scene around Hux seemed blurred, like the Force itself was uncertain of what was happening. He was leaning over like he was holding something, protecting it, shielding it, embracing it like it would be the last thing he’d ever have within his hands. Hux was shaking, obviously crying, and his back was turned to Ren. Ren squinted his eyes, trying to see more. Hux’s neck had blue and black marks on it. He heard something cracking, creaking above him. Hux looked up. Wherever he was, the ceiling above was caving in on him. There was nothing there to protect him.

“Hux!” Ren yelled with blatant concern. He outstretched his hand, summoning the force.

He was still sitting in the bedroom, facing the ocean. The sun had moved in the sky, suggesting he had been sitting for at least an hour or so. There was nothing there.  

The door suddenly swung open and Ren jolted, getting up to his feet almost defensively. Hux appeared, a curious look on his face.

“Ren?” Hux asked, sounding confused. He must have returned past Ren’s notice. How long was he gone?

“What?” Ren asked back, panting slightly. He didn’t realize how worked up he became. He pulled his back to his side.

“You… you screamed for me?” Hux stuttered, his eyes wide. He looked shocked, clearly startled by Ren’s sudden shouting.

Ren felt at a loss for words. He didn’t want to tell Hux that he had a vision of him not only sobbing but also in danger. Even worse, Ren had felt worried for Hux after seeing the vision. But there Hux was, safe and sound and visibly confused.

 _You were in danger. I wanted to protect you._ Ren wanted to say.

“It’s nothing,” Ren assured. Hux wasn’t convinced but he chose not to press. “Where did you go off to?”

“I just looked around. The palace is quite beautiful. I also wanted to see the ocean.”

“You traveled alone?” Ren questioned.

“No, Manto watched me. She is an observant little thing and particular as well. Wouldn’t answer many of my questions about much of anything.” Ren frowned at the mention of Manto. “You’re sweating a lot Ren.”

Ren looked down to his shirt. It was drenched in sweat. The heat was the main perpetrator, but Ren suspected his vision caused him to break out so aggressively. Ren threw off his shirt to reveal his well-toned body. Hux’s cheeks turned pink and he averted his eyes to look out the window. Ren could feel his lips quirking up into a smirk.

“And are you warm General?” Ren asked nonchalantly. “Maybe we should ask to crank the air conditioning.”

“Er… I’m alright. I have my meeting with Prince Himero shortly so I can’t change anyway,” Hux said, still not meeting Ren’s eyes.

Hux made it clear about his position in their relationship, but Ren couldn’t help but tease the poor General. The man was practically a prudish virgin (though his virginity was long gone to the ‘noble’ knight). Hux and Ren hadn’t had sex constantly like animals in heat, but there were enough encounters to be questionable in terms of their relationship. Something about Hux being more distant from him only made Ren more famished.

“Hux,” Ren demanded. Hux looked up as a natural response. Ren flexed his pecs with a stupid smirk on his face. This would allow him to forget his force vision. Nothing was out of the ordinary yet, he was still in the ordinary world and in that world, Hux was annoyed and easily embarrassed as always. Hux looked away immediately, gritting his teeth as his face only heated up more. Ren snickered.

Hux turned out of the room, unamused by Ren’s antics. It was bad timing to be playing with the General’s feelings, especially given how rocky their relationship was in the pool of uncertainty they had swum into, but it made Ren somehow feel normal when he could play with Hux. Not that Hux liked it.

Ren followed him out, still shirtless. The General went and grabbed his luggage which still sat on the table. He could see the General, grinding his teeth together. He could feel his everflowing radiation of irritable emotions. He hated how uptight Hux was, how he wouldn’t take a joke and how he had to be always the right one.

“Hux,” Ren demanded again, this time with different intent.

“Do you ever get tired of pestering me? I’m not your mother so stop acting like a huge kriffing child,” Hux hissed.

Ren quickly darkened. He never liked being talked down to. Hearing about his family was strictly forbidden. Familial talk never came up between him and Hux, but it was obvious enough to avoid.

Ren reaches out to Hux with the force, freezing him in place. Hux’s body twitched and he gave a little grunt, surprised by the sudden feeling. He couldn’t speak.

“Do you ever get tired of being so stuck up?” Ren bellowed. He walked over and grabbed Hux by the arm, meaning to force the General to look at him.

He heard it again, the crying. The sound was provided to him through the force, he knew it wasn’t real, but it still shook his core.

Ren retracted his hand and his influence with the force immediately. The sound vanished and Hux stumbled forward. He did end up looking at Ren. His brows frowned and his lips were slightly parted. He walked off to put his bag in his room.

“You sleep on the couch,” Hux called, avoiding the subject of Ren’s strange behavior. Ren could hear Hux throw his luggage on the bed. He walked out and headed to leave the suite. “I’m going to my meeting with Himero. You better clean up and stop your nonsense and head to the dinner with me afterward.”

Ren blinked. Seeing that Hux wouldn’t track back to any of the earlier occurrences, he replied sharply with, “Why should I go to any dinner?”

“Because you are expected to. You were complaining about being hungry so there’s your opportunity. You just have to sit there, you aren’t required to speak. Wear your mask or not, I don’t care and I don’t care how it works either.”

“Do not command me.”

Hux gave a fake, annoyed smile. “Yes Ren, I know! Apparently, you don’t listen to anyone! It was just a suggestion.”

Ren grumbled, not willing to feed the fire more. He usually would but he just didn’t feel the need to at the moment. Perhaps it was because he couldn’t help but think back to his visions. Of Hux crying, of the cosmos around them, of the danger lurking over Hux…

Hux headed to the door again, brushing her hair back with his hand and adjusted his clothes carefully. Ren watched the back of his neck. It was something Ren wanted to choke yet at the same time, Ren felt the need to protect every little hair on Hux’s head. He hated conflicting feelings. For the time being, he let the feelings go. There were more dire things that seemed to want his attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm really happy that people like my fanfic so far lol! also im gonna brave it without a beta reader please dont murder me. i have no idea what the updating schedule will be yet but hopefully, it will be consistent. if you have any comments pls leave them i love comments.  
> follow me on tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com)


	3. Kill Me With Desire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's time to get... spicy. that means yes there's sexual content. leave a comment!
> 
> see notes below for content/trigger warnings.

“Not a moment too soon General Hux,” Prince Himero greeted with a smile. The man was sitting at the head of a conference table with a datapad in one hand. He set the datapad down onto the fine wooden table and made direct eye contact with Hux, giving his visitor his complete attention. Hux had never felt so unnerved by a man’s attempt at being welcoming.

Manto, who had appeared out of nowhere again after Hux had left his suite, had escorted him to the conference room where Himero was waiting readily. She was still standing in the door, her ears twitching. Hux didn’t smile back at him at Himero but politely bowed his head to recognize Himero’s greeting.

“Hope I didn’t keep you waiting,” Hux said, walking over to the table, though unsure where to sit. Himero got up and pulled out one of the seats closer to him on his right. Hux took the seat, putting his hands on his lap. Himero then pushed him in and got back into his seat.

 _How gentlemanly,_ Hux thought, then bitterly thought to Ren. If the bastard wanted to be controlling and jealous, then let him overhear in his head he found Himero, well, princely.

“Nonsense! I just was settling in. If I wasn’t here when you came, that'd just be embarrassing,” Himero joked, managing to get Hux to crack a little smile. Himero snapped his fingers above his head and Manto left the doorway, letting the doors close behind her.

“Well then,” Hux said, leaning forward on the table and folding his hands together, staring at the prince intensely, “shall we begin?”

Himero leaned forward as well, propping his elbows off the table and setting the tips of his fingers together. “We shall, General.”

Himero practically purred at him, which caught Hux off guard. Sure, they had some weird foreplay in their negotiations and he assumed Himero was flirty by his entire demeanor, but it was quite intimidating when he was alone in a room with the man and their faces were so close. Hux sat back in his chair, deciding to back away from Himero’s game for a while. Himero stayed leaned forward.

“Your planet’s extensive medical resources are desired for the First Order. It’s quite impressive, how much you make and output, especially in terms of artificial bacta. We’d very much like to strike an exclusive deal with you,” Hux began. He knew that Himero wanted more flattery than facts, so he had to carefully dance Himero’s waltz if he wanted to get what the First Order needed without having to give too much in return.

“That is why you’re here, and the First Order is a perfect business for us! We are beginning to have problems with other planets looking to deplete our resources and the First Order’s troops being stationed here will help,” Himero sat back and kicked his feet up on the table. Hux found this gesture incredibly rude, but this was Himero’s home and not his. “Our neighbors, they are jealous of our wealth and would much like to take it. Of course, they don’t know a thing about making medicine, just taking it. And this planet is a family planet, there are many tourists who come here for our beaches and parents looking to use our numerous health and reproduction centers so you can understand we can’t have this become a war zone.”

“I understand entirely, Prince Himero. We can supply you with protection in exchange for your medical supplies. This planet is also in a useful spot for the First Order, so we’d be happy to strike a deal right now.”

“Ah, but General things can never be so easy,” Himero added. He pressed a button on the armrest of his seat. Soon a droid appeared with two glasses in its hand and a bottle. Himero put his hand out and took a glass. The droid placed the other glass near Hux. The droid poured a golden liquid into Himero’s glass. “A drink, General?”

“Oh, that’s alright. I don’t need anything.”

“It’s very low in alcohol percentage, don’t worry. It’s just something to drink. It’s made out of a very beautiful fruit of our planet. It is quite sweet though. Drink some,” Himero told him. Before Hux could even agree to try it, the droid was already pouring him a glass. The droid then left the bottle and scurried off to whatever corner it was in beforehand.

Hux picked up the glass and sniffed it. It did smell very sweet and was cold in his hand like the glass had been chilled as well as the liquid. He could see Himero waiting for him to sip it. He put the glass to his lips and tried the golden juice. It was sweet as he described it but extremely refreshing. Hux didn’t usually have sweet things, in fact, he didn’t remember the last time he tried anything sweet.

“It’s very good,” Hux complimented, taking another sip before putting the glass down.

“You know General, it is quite a risk to get involved with you. I hear Leia Organa has voiced some… concerns about your organization. Granted, it seems you have been left unbothered by the New Republic. I’m open to new alliances but there can be some risk for us both and we can’t calculate for our future like if siding with you will bring some unwanted attention.”

Himero was swirling his glass, watching the glittery golden liquid shine. He always seemed to be smirking. They both drank as they talked.

“Well, for us we can always take our business elsewhere if need be. But I am here because I know the relationship will be beneficial, and the First Order can supply all the protection you desire. No one will dare to try to even pick a hair from your head, Prince Himero.”

Somehow, Hux had managed to drink down his entire glass. He hadn’t even noticed he was drinking so much of the juice. Himero noticed the General’s empty glass and happily poured him another one.

“Well, you came here because you knew you’d get what you wanted, didn’t you? By the way, this drink is called Ambrosia here on Quirinal. At least, that’s the brand name.”

Himero had quite a sense of humor. Usually, Hux wouldn’t even bat an eye at any sort of joke, but he felt like he did, in fact, need to relax. Ren had been a thorn in his side and he was expecting Starkiller to be ready to fire in a standard year so Hux found himself in a world of stress. He hadn’t even acknowledged he was stressed until he had come down to Quirinal where the ocean breeze kissed his neck and he had a glass of golden, fruity sugar water in his hands.

“Well, here’s to getting what we want,” Hux said, holding up his glass for a toast. Himero let out a low chuckle from his throat and raised his glass.

“Here’s to getting what we want, indeed.” Himero gently hit his glass to Hux’s creating a small clinking sound. Hux took a large sip of the ambrosia afterward.

Himero brought the glass slowly to his lips and watched Hux swallow the golden liquid.

 

/////

 

Ren couldn’t meditate again, he felt unable to. He kept thinking back to how he hated the damn planet he was sitting on. He couldn’t focus. It was like the Force was pushing him out, like an angry ex.

 _Sleep on the couch, don’t touch me_.

He growled, standing up and storming out of the bedroom. He was beginning to feel peckish and highly considered raiding the kitchen but knew Hux really wanted him to attend that damn dinner. He wasn’t sure if Hux would even come back to bother him or if he and that prince would just go on a dinner date by themselves. The sun was setting in the sky and Hux had been gone for a while anyhow, so Ren concluded Hux really wasn’t coming back for him.

No, he wouldn’t stand for that. He wasn’t about to lose in Hux’s game. Ren went into the kitchen and instead of raiding it found that remote Himero told them to use. Each button was labeled in basic. Ren found a fat green button labeled  _Call for Assistance_  and figured that was the closest thing he’d get to contacting anyone without stepping out.

He pressed the button and a little light at the top of the remote flashed green. Ren put down the remote and went to change, throwing on a black long sleeve and black pants (because, like the brooding darksider he was, only dark colors would be worn on his body). He ran his fingers through his messy black locks, quickly detangling it. He knew how irritated Hux would be if Ren made an attempt to show up and look presentable after their little argument. He’d probably be equally mad if Ren came in messy, but he more so wanted to prove a point.

There was a knock on the door. Ren stiffened. In his fit out pettiness, he forgot he called someone. He found some cologne on a dresser and just sprayed it on himself, not even bothering to smell it first. Luckily, it didn’t smell terrible and just had a typical ‘manly’ aroma.

Ren went to the door and pressed the comm button that was on the wall beside it.

“Yes?” He asked into the mic.

“Lord Ren? This is Manto. May I help you, sir?” She asked. She didn’t have a cheerful, sweet tone like what most people would expect when they called for room service, but he didn’t really care.

“Is General Hux and Prince Himero still in their meeting?”

“No sir, they’ve moved into the grand dining room for dinner. I asked if you would like to join but General Hux insisted on leaving you alone. Should I make preparations for you to join them?” She inquired.

“Is there already room for me there?” Ren asked. Manto didn’t reply as quickly as before, seeming confused.

“I mean, yes? There are already plenty of seats, plates, and food if that’s what you mean. I just would have to inform-”

“No, don’t tell them I’m coming,” Ren interrupted her. He could hear her sigh from the other end like she knew he was planning on antagonizing them.

“...very well Lord Ren. I’ll leave you to it. They just started dinner so you most likely wouldn’t be intruding… too much,” she answered then hung up on the other end. He could sense her leave. the Force wasn’t deterring him from that at least sensing people’s whereabouts.

Maybe it was petty but Ren was decided he was going to interrupt their dinner. Realistically, Hux was right in the fact he should be there with them. He just knew Hux would be pissed he’d come unexpectedly. Besides, Hux knew all about betting petty. The man could give him the cold shoulder all he wanted, Ren would always get what he wanted and tease whoever he pleased. The General should've felt so lucky that he got Ren’s special attention and wasn’t a dummy for his lightsaber skills to be trained upon.

Before exiting, Ren looked into a mirror to make sure he was moderately presentable. He shrugged at himself in the mirror. He reached out using the Force, trying to find the location of Hux and his special date.

It wasn’t difficult to locate the General, his aura in the Force was like a burning star. In a universe full of stars, some of them seemed to always glow more brightly than others. Maybe it was just because Ren knew the General’s presence well, but Hux’s connection with him had always been peculiar. Sometimes he’d be cut off from Hux completely, and other times he'd be calling Ren to him like a moth to a light.

Ren followed the glow of Hux’s soul. His intentions were more destructive than a moth’s despite how badly he wanted to capture that light.

The first sound Ren heard as he strode furiously to the grand dining room was Hux’s damned laugh. Hux never laughed. Ren hated Hux's fake laughter. Whatever Himero said couldn’t have been that amusing. Kissing ass didn’t befit the General.

Ren burst into the room. The chatter between the two of them ceased. Himero was at the head of the excessively long, wooden dining table. He had his elbows propped up onto the table. His chin had been resting on his hands before Ren entered and he promptly shot his head up, looking to their unexpected guest. Hux was gawking at Ren. His face twitched.

“Hope I’m not intruding,” Ren said plainly, though he was obviously unapologetic. Hux’s body shifted.

“Glad you could join us, Lord Ren.” Hux was  _seething_ in rage. He was trying to hide how infuriated he was with Ren but saw how Hux clenched his fist on the table.

Himero gave his typical smile but he seemed confused by Ren’s presence. Irritated almost.

“I thought you wouldn’t make it Lord Ren! There’s a seat across from General Hux if you’d like. We just started eating so help yourself,” Himero said, taking a sip of his cup. Himero didn’t seem to care that Ren was without his helmet.

Ren strode to the seat across from Hux. It seemed too awkward to sit next to Hux with no one across them, but Ren felt a bitter taste grow in his mouth having to sit next to the prince. But he had to be cordial, especially so he wouldn’t embarrass the poor General. Hux’s eyes followed Ren. His entire stature was riddled with disdain. Hux took a gulp of his golden juice. He just drank it so he’d hold his tongue in front of Ren.

Ren took his seat and the seat beneath him gave a dramatic creak. The table was covered in food, too much for the three of them to finish. Ren had actually never seen Hux eat before. He always suspected Hux was a poor eater given his small stature and obsession with work. Here though, Hux seemed to drink and eat with happy effort. Ren wasn’t sure if Hux was just making a scene for Himero or if he was genuinely taking advantage of the mission.

There were many strange platters in front of Ren that he didn’t know where to start. Most of the dishes appeared seafood based. Ren was more of a red meat sort of man, but he could eat just about anything with ease. He wasn’t picky. Lucky for him, a servant came over and served Ren so he wouldn’t have to pick. He figured that making Hux watch Ren indecisively choose his meal would drive him crazy anyhow.

The servant was another Fyus. Ren questioned the dynamic between the Fyus and the prince, knowing that the Fyus was native to Quirinal while humans were most likely their colonizers. It seemed odd that the royalty was human when the population was overwhelmingly mixed with the majority being Fyus. The Fyus servant didn’t look to Ren, he merely filled Ren’s plate with different fish and vegetables. He picked up a bottle that held the liquid Hux was drinking but Ren stopped him.

“I don’t want any alcohol,” Ren told the Fyus. The servant stopped, seeming confused on what to do.

“It’s low in alcohol Lord Ren, don’t worry!” Himero cheered, turning to Hux despite addressing Ren. He gave Hux a wink like they had some sort of inside joke.

“Just get me water,” he told the Fyus, more sternly than before. The Fyus thought it better to follow Ren’s request and picked up a clear, cold bottle filled with water and poured it into Ren’s glass. Hux shook his head and chugged down the rest of his drink before going back to taking small bites of his meal.

Ren was less graceful in his eating. He wasn’t messy but he did take rather large forkfuls of his meal and chowed down. Himero watched him with raised eyebrows, impressed by Ren’s appetite.

“You are quite the eater Lord Ren,” Himero commented. Hux ducked his head, displeased with the direction of the conversation. “Very good for a strong knight! Snoke knows how to choose his warriors!”

Hux scoffed at the commented. Ren looked to him, eyes narrowed. Hux didn’t seem to care about Ren’s attitude.

“Yes I suppose,” Ren said, almost apprehensive. “Have you met the Supreme Leader?”

Himero answered a little more slowly than Ren anticipated. The mere second of hesitation made Ren’s gut fill with suspicion. “We have communicated briefly over a holocall. Quite the… man. But General Hux has been extremely cordial and informative, I’m sure our relationship together will be long-standing and impactful.”

Hux gave a thin-lipped smile at the prince. “I’m sure it will.”

“I’ll give you a tour of the facilities tomorrow before we finalize our alliance and trade deal, that way you can sit on what we talk about.”

Hux took another small bite of his meal. Ren managed to swallow his entire plate down. He hadn’t realized he was so hungry and angry. He didn’t trust Himero, for personal reasons, but he couldn’t get a proper force reading on him to pass judgment. He wouldn’t have to pass fair judgment but he was sure Hux would try to kill him if he at least didn’t try to find a reason Hux would seem as valid.

“The General is hard to please, I take it that your meeting went well?” Ren added, a hint of bitterness in his tone. Himero’s eyes seemed to darken and he gave a chuckle before staring into Hux’s eyes with heartfelt intent.  

“Oh, I think we came to a fair agreement. And Lord Ren, not to pass judgment, but he is quite hard to please! You just need to know how to please and maneuver around the harsh outer edges,” Himero said, giving Hux a wink.

Then, the strangest thing happened. Hux giggled. Not a scoff or an awkward chuckle, a giggle. A real giggle.

In front of Ren, nonetheless.

Hux dipped his nose into his wrist that held his empty glass as if he was trying to conceal his laughter. Ren could tell he wasn’t faking it. Hux’s cheeks were slightly flushed and his eyes looked dreamy.

He was drunk. Ren was baffled he didn’t see it before. He had had glass after glass of that sweet, sugary nectar without realizing that all that alcohol would build up in his system. Combined with Hux’s terrible eating habits, the General was certainly was feeling the effects of having too much. Now Ren certainly didn’t trust this prince. He had been intoxicating Hux for some ungodly reason. Ren was more perplexed on how Hux didn’t notice.

Himero followed in Hux’s path, laughing. He leaned forward and touched the General’s shoulder, taking advantage of Hux’s delirious state.

Hux would never let anyone touch him like that. Hux’s face went blank as Himero’s finger twitched against his shoulder, threatening to move to Hux’s arm. He hardly let Ren touch him like that and Ren had touched and seen a lot of the General. Ren gulped down his water and cleared his throat.

“I think the General and I need some rest. We’ve had a long day.” Ren stood up abruptly and walked around the table. Himero looked like he was holding his tongue. He removed his hand from Hux’s shoulder as Ren came close.

“Ren!” Hux said disapprovingly. Ren promptly seized Hux by the arm and pulled him up. Hux stumbled to his feet, gawking at Ren.

_You stupid idiot you always ruin everything-_

Ren chose to filter Hux out. His mind was muddled anyway.

“Oh, well we haven’t had dessert,” Himero added plainly. Ren couldn’t tell how Himero was feeling by his tone, but he couldn’t have been happy.

Especially if he was being cockblocked.

“We’ll make it up tomorrow,” Ren said stubbornly, already dragging Hux away.

“I’m terribly sorry Prince Himero, it appears my companion and I will need to talk,” Hux said, pulling his arm away from Ren. He angrily whispered to Ren, “I can walk by myself, Ren!”

Himero sat quietly as Ren lead Hux out of the room, a hand on the General’s back. Hux was scolding Ren as they walked out. He was trying to keep his voice down but he kept raising it slowly. Ren looked back to Himero. His mouth was tucked behind his hands that were propped up on the table by his elbows.

Ren had scared all the palace workers away. They had passed Manto, who eyed them curiously but stayed put in her place. He was glad they were all avoiding the two of them because Ren figured another session of arguing was about to occur. Ren said to himself that he’d try not to break anything, for the sake of Hux’s precious alliance, but there was no knowing.

Hux stumbled into their room with a little forceful shove of Ren’s hand. He went over near the couch and grabbed the arm of it, swaying slightly. Ren entered and the door shut behind them. Ren put on the locks.

Hux looked over his shoulder, glaring at Ren. His nostrils flared with furious intent, but Ren doubted he could do too much damage.

“Why did you have to do that!” Hux shouted, still gripping the chair.

“Are you trying to make a fool of yourself?” Ren fumed, standing in front of Hux like a menace.

“No, but apparently you went and made so I did anyway.” Hux gave Ren a push on the chest. Ren didn’t budge. It only fueled his fire more.

“Me? You’re the drunk one! Couldn’t you see what he was doing?”

Hux rolled his eyes. “You call that drinking? Oh please.”

He’d get back to the topic of Hux’s apparent drinking habits later. “He was getting you drunk. Making you easy.”

“Everything we debated about in that meeting was mutual. We both had a common interest and worked out the best deal, he didn’t get me drunk for some goddamn alliance,” Hux retorted. He gave Ren another push on the chest.

“It’s not that alliance he was interested in. He was, again, trying to make you easy-” Hux shoved Ren harshly at that. Ren grabbed his wrist and leaned over him. Hux leaned back, but he had nowhere to go. “-easy to bend over.”

Hux stared at him blankly, unmoving. He snorted suddenly. Ren’s lip tightened. He wanted to strangle Hux. He could picture the fragile little white neck in between his fingers, gasping and pleading.

“Gods, Ren. You’re really obsessed with me,” Hux said, then hiccuped. He suddenly seemed to shake off his anger strangely. Ren, on the other hand, not so much.

“What?”

“We talked about this. You trying to make me some… I don’t know consort. It’s rather insulting considering that you are the one here begging for my attention.”

“I’m not!- Forget it. You’re useless,” Ren bellowed. He let go of Hux and watched him fall back into the couch. Hux hung his head.

Ren eyed him, cocking an eyebrow. Hux’s whole demeanor seemed to slump over. He couldn’t tell what Hux was looking at, but he could reach out with the Force.

 _Useless? Useless…_ Hux played back in his head. Ren swallowed awkwardly, not meaning to hit a sensitive spot. He didn’t mean to upset the General this time, but he was just so frustrating. He reached a little deeper into Hux’s mind and saw images of Hux’s father yelling at him, judging him, as Hux hung his head. A small droplet of regret fell into Ren’s dark heart. Even Ren and all his cruelties didn’t wish those dark memories upon Hux. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if their General was too haunted by his past to make calculated, emotionless decisions to benefit the galaxy.

He groaned, hating himself for feeling bad but not wanting to make the drunk cry. He chose to carefully sit down next to Hux. He moved slowly as if Hux would jump to his feet. Hux didn’t react.

 _And they call me a drama queen_ , Ren thought, annoyed.

“I didn’t mean that,” Ren said begrudgingly. He cursed the drunk General for making him feel guilty. Hux never made Ren feel bad for him. Sure, Hux always tried to make Ren feel like an idiot but Hux never threw a pity party.

Hux rather die than be seen as weak. Ren could relate, but he liked to think he wasn’t as afraid of his vulnerabilities as Hux was. They weren’t pleasant, but he had to live with them and use them as a weapon.

Hux looked at him with stupid, sorrowful eyes. They looked genuinely heartbroken and bright, something the General lacked in his usual demeanor. He didn’t know it was physically possible to make Hux so upset over anything to the point he looked like a weeping widow. Hux didn’t hold any attachment to anything that made him weep. His Starkiller project was his baby, yet Hux wouldn’t cry over it.

Ren concluded to never let Hux drink again if he could help it. The man looked too youthful and vulnerable. Starkiller would have the capability to vaporize planets but Hux’s genuine emotions were far more dangerous in Ren’s humble opinion. He could turn the tides of war and sway hearts; more hearts than the average person could think.

Ren despised that Hux’s saddened eyes made him feel pitiful compassion: he never wanted to see Hux look so distraught and he never needed to see it again.

“Yes you did,” Hux said back. The alcohol really did make Hux much more vulnerable in feelings and looks.

“Well, I meant to say it. I didn’t mean to actually sadden you. I’m kind of surprised,” Ren told him. He carefully put a hand on Hux’s arm to try to persuade the upset General to forgive his petty attempt at biting back.

Hux looked at Ren’s hand, uncertainty, skeptical of what Ren would do to him. The doubt stung lightly in Ren’s heart. Ren’s monster paws seemed to envelop Hux’s skinny arms. A part of him was further upset by the fact he felt so small under Ren’s hand, but another part was attracted to the feeling. Like a peeping pervert, Ren could see all that went on in Hux’s cloudy head.

Jealousy didn’t begin to describe the feelings that sat in Ren’s heart like heavy metal. He didn’t want to make an attachment. Snoke would see right through that shit and Hux wouldn’t want to see that shit at all.

“It’s a touchy subject,” Hux slurred lazily. His head threatened to drop again. Ren caught him by the chin and forced him to look up. He could feel the red hot fire burning underneath Hux’s skin. The look in the ginger’s eyes changed, revealing a new intent.

Something warm touched the fabric of his pants. Like a serpent, Hux’s fingers moved up and down a small section of Ren’s thigh, trying to figure out what they wanted and where the wanted to be.

He was so screwed.

“You are drunk,” Ren said firmly. There was still some chivalry in his knighthood Ren liked to think.

“Not drunk enough to continue to willingly deal with you,” Hux retorted. Ren rubbed his thumb against Hux’s chin.

“How crude General.” The corner of Ren’s lips quirked upwards.

Hux was on him like an animal: gripping, panting, tearing, and biting, Hux went for Ren instead of listening to reason. He grabbed Ren’s face forcefully and smashed their lips together ungraciously, clearly just desiring the contact. Hux usually didn’t kiss Ren, and when he did it was always because Ren initiated it in a fit of passion. It was never truly romantic. But Ren craved the attention of it, the possessiveness was addictive. So he couldn’t help but kiss back. Ren felt completely bipolar around the General. They’d fight and argue then suddenly he’d be stripping to his socks with Hux underneath him. He figured it wasn’t exactly the healthiest of relationships, but it was the best he was going to get.

Ren tilted his head and held the back of Hux’s head, trying to get better control of him. Hux held his face, running his thumbs along the plains of Ren’s cheek. The sound of their locked lips and soft moans were the only sounds in the room.

Hux began to move into Ren’s lap. Ren helped it into it, pulling the General forcefully and holding his hips. Ren grabbed Hux by the ass to pull the General closer to him, demonstrating his desire.

Hux pulled his lips back for a moment, fixing himself in Ren’s lap.

“What was that about willingly dealing with me?” Ren tauntingly purred, his lips brushing over Hux’s neck. Hux tilted his chin up.

“You’re lucky you got some good attributes,” Hux murmured, blinking dreamily as he felt Ren’s breath on his neck. Ren kissed at Hux’s neck and hummed in acknowledgment.

“Really? What would that be?” Ren popped the first few bottoms of Hux’s collar to have better access to his neck. Hux inhaled softly, gripping Ren’s broad shoulders.

Hux narrowed his eyes at Ren, annoyed at the question and groaned to cover up the embarrassing noise he would have made, “You’re big,” Hux said, suddenly reaching down to cup Ren’s growing erection. Ren huffed and stopped kissing at Hux, surprised about how direct he was. “You’re big everywhere.”

“Size queen,” Ren muttered. Hux frowned and began to grind himself into Ren. Ren’s eye twitched. He wasn’t about to give Hux an easy reaction.

Ren refused to be the one to submit into a state of needy and ecstasy. Hux always tried to make him the needy one, but Hux didn’t realize that he was naturally submissive to his needs.

“If you don’t give me more I will actually run out of uses for you,” Hux threatened. He seemed to enjoy the grinding motion too much. Ren grinned and slowly ran a finger down Hux’s chest. He then ripped Hux’s uniform top off, earning an offended gasp from Hux. Hux's face was red from everything he was feeling. “You can’t rip that! You popped the buttons off!”

“Shut it,” Ren said and dipped his nose back into Hux’s neck, kissing and sucking at his pale skin. Hux seemed to instantly listen after feeling Ren’s tongue run all over him.

Hux closed his eyes, taking in all the sensations Ren gave him. Hux’s body trembled. Ren smirked against Hux’s neck. He dipped his tongue and lips into the divets of Hux’s porcelain skin. It was like exploring something untouchable, something rare, something forbidden.

Hux was so easy to bend at the will of Ren’s mouth. Ren suspected it was because of Hux’s touch depraved past that made him melt into Ren’s rough hands. So used to discipline, it must have been Hux’s sick fantasy to let someone else tear him apart. Worse, Hux must’ve found the thought of being taken care of to create a shiver in his soul and in his loins. The poor General was so without care. Ren knew he was harsh with Hux but here in the confines of their room, he could do what Hux would never admit to.

He could care for the General, make him feel good, or make him crave Ren more. That was Ren’s favorite form of power, having an emotional hold over Hux. Hux would never admit to his feelings if he even knew he had any.

Ren looked down to Hux’s chest which was now exposed to the cold air. Hux was practically hairless everywhere, Ren already knew that, but to see such a lovely clean chest was too much to bear. Ren leaned down to first press his head against Hux’s chest. Hux, knowing what Ren would do, held onto Ren’s hair and shivered in anticipation. He could feel the wetness of Hux’s crotch rub off onto his own clothed dick.

Ren would have dove right into Hux, sucking on his nipples to make Hux moan and whine insanely, but something stopped him. He could hear Hux’s rapid heartbeat in his chest and feel the pounding against his face. Obviously, Hux had to have a heart, he was human, but there was something too intimate and humane about it. He stayed still and try to solve what he was feeling and why he was so stuck on Hux’s heartbeat. Part of it was soothing, another part of it made Ren feel strange.

“Ren?” Hux asked, almost shyly. Hux squirmed and ran his fingers through Ren’s dark locks. Ren looked up at Hux’s blushing face and wide eyes.

It was strange to think Ren never thought of you Hux as human. The man was so cold and calculating he might as well be a droid. Hux pushed away emotions and repressed his feelings, at least that’s how Ren saw him. Yet here Hux was human and seductively so. His mind screamed with  _want_  and the need for Ren to not leave him. Hux could push Ren away all he wanted, but he could never hide his want for Ren.

Ren knew really was powerless to Hux because while Hux didn’t know or couldn’t comprehend what he wanted, Ren knew what he wanted.

He wanted Hux.

Hux should have been his.

Feeling out of place and back in the right mindset, Ren decided to stand up, scooping Hux up into his arms. Hux gasped and wrapped his arms around Ren’s neck.

“What are you doing!” Hux cried out, trying to balance himself

Ren didn’t reply. Instead, he walked into the bedroom and laid Hux down on the sheets. Hux seemed perplexed, wondering why Ren had a change in mood. Hux tried to sit up but Ren put a hand on his shoulder, gently giving Hux a push so he’d lie back down. Hux compiled but frowned his brow. Ren plopped down on the sheets next to him, turning on his side.

“We should rest,” Ren said. Hux stared Ren’s broad back, feeling anger rise up through him.

“Now?” Hux asked, baffled. His pants still felt uncomfortably tight. Ren wasn’t that cruel to leave him like this, was he?

“Yes. You’re slightly drunk.”

“Ren, come on,” Hux tried to coax. He disliked how needy he sounded. He got up again, this time without Ren pushing him down. He gave Ren’s shoulder a pull so the man would lay on his back.

Hux straddled Ren’s hips, promptly displaying his want. Hux’s dog tags hung from his neck, swaying in front of Ren’s face. He could see the ‘A. Hux’ engraved onto the little metal plates, but beyond that, he never knew what his dog tags said. Hux’s chest was still out of his shirt. Hux was still horny as hell, but Ren lost his drive to devour Hux. He also didn’t feel completely comfortable having Hux while he was out of his mind.

“I distinctly remember you getting mad at me for making fun of you for these kinds of actions,” Ren told him. Hux leaned down really close so their noses were almost touching.

“And I remember how you love to have that power over me, the power to make me feel things where others fail,” Hux purred, his eyes dark with intent. It was admittedly hot. But Ren was disciplined. Usually. Hux ran his hands down Ren’s chest and down to his waist, grabbing the waistband of his pants. “Take off your shirt.”

“And why would I do that?” Ren asked, propping his hands behind his head.

“So when I suck your cock I’m not looking at some black-clad idiot,” Hux told him, popping a button on Ren’s pants.

Ren raised an eyebrow at Hux. “Are you sure?”

“Yes!” Hux said quickly. He looked to the side, seeming to find his aggressively certain answer embarrassing. Ren blinked at him. “I mean. Just,” Hux looked into Ren’s eyes, “please?”

It went straight back to Ren’s dick. Hux saying ‘please’ like a treasure you could not give up. He really said it meaningfully. And the  _want_ still displayed on Hux’s face was all the more powerful in making the lump in Ren’s pants grow once again.

“Fine, fine,” Ren mumbled, trying to act casual. He sat up and removed his top, revealing his tank top underneath.

After stripping that away he looked up to see Hux had dropped his open shirt, exposing the entirety of his beautiful, milky white skin. Hux was so lanky and small compared to Ren’s broad chest and muscular form. It’s what he always liked about Hux, the comparison between them. He could see the spots form from where Ren had kissed and nipped at him. Hux’s nipples were still untouched, but Ren figured tonight wouldn’t be the night for that. A seed of doubt in his mind said he may never get a night with Hux again, but he kept his control over himself and opted not to ravage Hux.

It didn’t take long before Ren was seated at the edge of the bed with a handful of red hair between his fingers, his legs spread to let Hux’s skillful mouth suck and lick at what was apparently his right. Hux wasn’t as gracious as usual, compared to the few times he has choked on Ren’s obscenely huge penis. Hux liked to make a whole event out of it, trying Ren’s patience to make him lose control. Hux’s current state of mind wasn’t on teasing Ren though, it was on trying to get as close to Ren’s base as possible. He was doing a pretty good job, all things considered. Ren just let the waves of pleasure spread across his stomach, not bothering to push Hux further. He let Hux have control for now.

Hux made a whimpering noise as he struggled to put more of Ren’s dick down his throat. He had done it before by being careful and meticulous, but his desperation had gotten the best of him. Ren loved seeing the dear General come apart into a weak mess, trying so hard just to reach home base.

Ren was getting close. Sensing his climax, Ren gave Hux a little tug on the back of his head. Hux slid his mouth off with an obscene pop, looking up to Ren was hazy eyes. His lashes appeared translucent in the moonlight.

“Huh?” Hux whined as if he was coming out of a daze. Ren’s only response was spewing white strings across Hux’s face with a low grunt. Hux cringed and shut his eyes but his parted lips managed to catch some of Ren’s seed into his mouth.

Ren panted, trying to relax before responding, “Sorry.”

Hux seemed to consider Ren for a moment before sitting up. He leaned against Ren’s chest for a moment, letting his body rest there. Ren had no idea what Hux was doing but didn’t move. It was silent, almost awkwardly so. Ren didn’t know if he was supposed to embrace Hux or push the man off. Hux didn’t usually act so strange after sex. Ren wondered if it was the alcohol or even perhaps the odd force readings of the planet. He didn’t hate it though. The intimacy was warming. It was dangerous.

This would all end, of course, Hux’s neediness towards Ren and the strange warmth between them, but Ren just took it for now. He wanted it, he wanted to keep it, but he settled for what he had. He wondered if Hux felt how he felt when he allowed himself to feel the rapid heartbeat that was in Hux’s chest.

Hux pushed himself onto his feet. Ren suddenly felt cold. Hux didn’t look at him and ran his hand across his face, feeling the spunk Ren had left behind. Ren looked down to the large wet spot in Hux’s pants. The man must have come hard into his trousers.

“I’m going to use the refresher,” he said before walking out of the room somewhat awkwardly. The feeling of his moist underwear and thighs was uncomfortable.

Alone in the room once again, Ren looked out into the distance where the peaceful ocean caressed the sands of the shore. The moon looked large on Quirinal, yet it was still a considerable distance away. The stars were harder to see because of the brightness of the moon. Ren got up off the bed and pressed a button near the windows, drawing the automatic currents closed to make the bedroom dark. He left one of the windows at the end of the line open without a curtain to let some moonlight to peek through, just enough so Ren could see what he was doing. He summoned his tank top from off the floor and slipped it back on. Ren threw off his pants and underwear and dug a new pair out of his luggage.

He didn’t know if Hux would join him again. Hux wasn’t as hazy as he once was, his attention snapping back to reality, but they were both too tired to speak of their actions or do much more. Sleep was good for Hux. It was good for Ren too. While Ren had a more normal sleep schedule than the infamous General, he was also tortured by sleep. Sometimes his dreams would be a trial or image of the Force, or when Snoke had a hold on him he would go through training exercises.

Snoke had stayed out of Ren’s endeavors lately. Ren figured it was so he could put his attention on Quirinal.

Though Ren respected his Master, like a child with a helicopter parent he could appreciate the times where Snoke would leave him be. It was tiring to always have to be a dark knight with unridden energy (though Ren loved the power). Hux helped him escape from it. Hux gave him something else other than what he had with his powers.

Hux would never admit to it. Ren couldn’t acknowledge it. Snoke couldn’t know.

There was no relaxation in Ren’s gut, but there was sleep. Laying back onto the bed, Ren found himself comfortable in the sheets. He was still too sweaty to crawl under the sheets, not that he wanted to, and he knew if he was going to end up sharing a bed with Hux and Hux would have wanted to sleep under the sheets without another body touching him directly. At least he wouldn’t have to sleep on the couch. Hux was most likely too enervated to care.

Ren was somewhat offended, knowing Hux wouldn’t touch him in any intimate ways. Hux could swallow Ren’s dick, but apparently cuddling was unacceptable. Ren didn’t want Hux to tease him for wanting to be held either. It was a stupid idea realistically.

Hux did return, quiet like a mouse droid. He said nothing when he crawled back into the bed and laid underneath the sheets. Ren could feel the slight dip the bed made when Hux got on the bed. Ren fought the urge to inhale. Hux was so close to him, trying to sleep right beside him, yet he also felt so far away. It was like the sheet Hux slid under was a representative barrier of their relationship.

Ren wanted more. He wanted Hux’s body, but he wanted it close and calm. He wanted... he wanted…

 _Snap out of it_ , Ren thought. It was unprofessional (as if he knew about being professional) and unrealistic.

He sensed the moment Hux fell asleep. Hux’s mind flickered out of consciousness like a dying flame before resting. With Hux asleep, Ren felt brave enough to turn over. Ren could slaughter villages and go through the darkness temples where the Force rang with fury, yet nothing required his courage more than to face Hux’s sleeping form.

He looked so peaceful, so elegant, and once again so out of reach. Ren slowly reached over to touch Hux’s face. Ren’s mind was flooded with images of the galaxy Hux wanted to own. It was glorious. The night sky was filled with twinkling stars and blue and red cosmoses. Ren himself felt his mind grow tired. He drifted into sleep, too exhausted to analyze Hux’s dreams any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> see im not the type to like writing sex scenes but it's important to the plot ok. also we love emotionally constipated jerks.
> 
> cw: sexual content, alcohol, and somewhat dubious consent (there's consent but some might interpret it as iffy)
> 
> follow me on tumblr: [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com)


	4. You Look So Cool When You’re Saving Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the plot thickens, and so does the emotional turmoil. Why can't things be easy? I mean I could theoretically make it easy by writing it but that wouldn't be very kylux of me lol.
> 
> see notes below for content/trigger warnings

A droid brought them their breakfast. Hux had risen before Ren to retrieve the breakfast. Ren had risen when he felt Hux leave the room. 

Prince Himero had offered the men a tour of their facilities to better convince General Hux of their worth. Ren didn’t see the need to tour the planet since Hux appeared pretty set on their agreement, but Hux was adamant on doing so. Ren realized that he could observe Himero more closely if he attended their little tour, perhaps even find the source of the strange registration in the Force that was affecting the life on the planet. He didn’t mention any of this to Hux, not that the ginger weasel would understand anyway. 

Ren and Hux did not eat together. Hux left Ren’s plate on the kitchen counter as he changed in the bathroom. While Ren scoffed down his breakfast of native pork, fruits, and eggs he noticed Hux’s barely eaten breakfast that sat in the sink. He chose not to pry but took note of how Hux had mostly eaten the fruits off his plate. Ren didn’t like the fruits too much as they were too sweet for his tongue.

They left the suite together but did not speak. Ren’s helmet helped conceal how much he was staring at Hux. He hated the General, he hated how Hux always abandoned what happened between them. A man couldn’t just suck his co-commander’s dick and sleep with him and pretend nothing happened the next morning. If Hux could read his thoughts he was sure the General would eliminate him quickly and sneakily, then act lackadaisical about it. 

Manto Domus and Prince Himero were waiting for them in the great hall. Manto was staring down at her datapad, rapidly typing on it. Her ears flickered when the knight and the General entered the room, but she didn’t look up. Prince Himero gave them a warming smile as they entered the room, specifically looking to Hux. Ren figured the Prince was trying to piss him off for some illogical reason. 

Ren’s chest began to burn but he swallowed down his anger. He was sure this was one of those situations where Snoke would punish him for letting his emotions run a little too wild. 

“Good morning General Hux,” he bowed his head in acknowledgment. Himero then turned to Ren, smug and beaming with confidence. “Good morning Knight of Ren.” 

“Master of the Knights of Ren,” Ren corrected, feeling the muscles in his face twitch. Hux clenched his fist behind his back. 

“Ah, well my mistake.” Himero twirled a piece of his hair in between his fingers. “Shall we head out?” 

“Let’s,” Hux agreed. He side eyed Ren as they left as a warning. Ren grumbled to himself. 

They took Prince Himero’s eloquently designed barge into the main city. The inside of the barge was cool and looked more like a party bus than a casual land vehicle. It was extremely well kept. Ren and Hux sat on opposite ends of a cushioned bench as they waited to arrive the Quirinal’s advanced medical facilities. Hux rejected a glass of Ambrosia a droid offered him. Ren found a strange relief in Hux’s rejection of the sugary poison. 

The Quirinal Medical Research Facility was a large white building that was perfectly symmetrical. The white of the building looked shiny and completely smooth. The tops of the building were rounded and contained decorative copper strips. It was evident a lot of intense labor went into the beautiful building. There was a man-made pool of water that went out from the middle of the building near the grand entrance. Many aliens and humans walked to and from the facility. Some appeared to be tourist, others appeared to be customers, and the rest were staff dressed in white scrubs or white lab coats. 

The barge parked near the front of the building. The doors to the barge opened and they were greeted by stormtroopers and soldier Fyus, ready to protect their respective bosses. Hux expected his troopers to accompany them, he had the utmost confidence in them, yet he previously was irrationally worried the troopers would think this to be a vacation. 

A female Fyus met them at the entrance of the research facility. She bowed when seeing her prince arrive then gave a polite nod to Manto, the General, and Ren. The Fyus had short hair and glasses on her face. She wore a white lab coat and a black outfit underneath. 

“Ah, Doctor Minos, everything in the best shape possible?” Prince Himero asked cheerily. The Fyus seemingly was a very serious alien race in comparison to their prince’s incredulously joyous and smug attitude.

“Yes my Prince. Would you like me to escort you all?” Doctor Minos said. Ren found it odd that she had to ask to escort them. If she was the head doctor, it would make sense for her to show off their facilities. 

“That would be wonderful Doctor!” Himero cheered. He turned to Manto, who was absent from the people around her. “Manto, bring the barge around when we are finished.”

Her ears flickered, “Yes my Prince.” 

She turned on her heel, her eyes still stuck to her datapad. The Fyus soldiers followed after her. Ren observed Manto as she left. He swore he saw her side eye him, her eyes blank yet filled with disdain. When he blinked, Manto was looking at her datapad again as if she hadn’t been looking at Ren at all. 

“Follow me, gentleman,” Doctor Minos instructed. They all followed the doctor who showed her professionalism shown through her stride. Ren kept looking to Hux, wondering what he thought of the whole situation. 

The inside of the building was as clean and organized as expected. The entrance was grand and the main hall was bustling with all sorts of aliens and people. The front desk had four workers, two Fyus and two humans, who were busy talking to patients. Doctor Minos lead them down a hallway that had a sign labeled “Study and Research” next to it, followed by various directions to different labs and doctors.

“Here in Q.M.R.F, we are dedicated to medical research that will best help the entire galaxy and beyond. We work with everything from natural remedies to synthetics,” the Doctor explained. There were several rooms that they could peer into because of their glass walls. Ren figured it was purposeful so they could show off their researchers' work. 

The researchers didn’t acknowledge Prince Himero passing by, most likely used to his visits. A few guests smiled, gasped, or waved at him. He would smirk back at them but wouldn’t talk to them. The damn bastard still was staring at Hux, glancing at him when he wasn’t looking. Ren very much wanted to ask what the Prince’s deal was but knew he’d upset the poor General before he could even get a word out. 

The tour continued. The stormtroopers that followed behind the General and Ren radiated with curiosity, extremely impressed with the work in medicine. Ren didn’t mind them being interested since they weren’t being too distracted, but he wanted them to shut their minds up. 

“As you can see, we receive many guests here on Quirinal. Some just want to see our famed facilities, others want to try medical treatments, but the majority who come here want to see one thing only,” Doctor Minos continued. She swiped a card key into a slot near a large set of double doors. The double doors slid upon, revealing another section of the facilities. “Our options in fertility and parenting treatments.”

The hall they entered next was bustling more so than the rest of the building, but it also was filled with more people. The group stopped in front of a glass window that looked into a room with a strange pod in it. A nurse inside was looking on her datapad and would occasionally fiddle with the silver pod’s buttons and levers. There was a monitor beside the pod, showing off strange data that Hux and Ren really couldn’t read from afar. There was one certain piece of data pulsing on the monitor though: the pulsing line that represented a heartbeat. 

“Many aliens and people come to our facilities to have children,” Himero explained. Hux looked at Himero, raising an eyebrow. “We offer alternatives to people looking to become parents with a great success rate! We have the typical procedures, donating sperm and eggs, options for surrogacy, treating premature children and even gene influencing! But we are most proud of our developments in combining the genes of same-sex couples and various species to produce healthy kids!”

Himero was beaming explaining their achievements as they continued to walk along. Someone bumped into Ren and he scowled at the stranger, not that he could see his face. As useful and great the facility was, he knew Himero was just trying to flex his accomplishments at Hux. He just wanted Hux and Himero to sign their trade agreement so they could get off the stupid happy, humid planet. 

“You can combine genes to create children for those who can’t have babies naturally?” Hux asked. Ren wasn’t sure if Hux was making polite conversation or if he was actually interested. 

“Well yes, it is quite the development! We had a lot of inspiration from Kamino during the age of the Galactic Republic. Those clones were certainly an interesting aspect of medical history, but it is not complicated to replicate here on Quirinal. You see the native Fyus, like our dearest Doctor Minos, have an uneven ratio of male and female. There are more female Fyus than male so they became interested in research having to do with fertility and growing their population. The female Fyus wanted to have children with their romantic female partners, so creating methods of combining genes to create healthy babies of same-sex couples was of the most utmost importance!” Himero babbled as they walked. 

“You speak of the Fyus, but what about yourself? You are a human ruler,” Hux questioned. Himero was still smiling but his stature straightened. 

“Are you propositioning me, General?” Himero teased, stopping near another window where researchers were working with various flasks and graduated cylinders. Ren clenched his jaw. 

Hux huffed, “No. Quirinal is filled with Fyus but you are human. I’m sure colonization has something to do with it, but I am asking more about your research, in its effectiveness and the quickness of the development of these pod children.” 

“It sounds like you are interested in a clone army, General,” Ren jeered. Hux grit his teeth together, turning to squint his eyes at the troublesome knight. Hux also didn’t appreciate that Ren had said that in front of two of their stormtroopers.

“Unlike some people, Ren, I just appreciate others efforts to grow their families and expand their knowledge in their pursuit. Children are the base of an empire, and I honestly prefer if they had a personality rather than being carbon copies of each other.”

Ren found great irony in Hux’s speech. Maybe under their helmets, the stormtroopers looked different, but they were all the same loyal, brainless soldiers that came straight from Hux’s little stormtrooper project. 

“I didn’t take you for the sentimental type, General,” Prince Himero teased. Hux felt his cheeks flush. Himero knocked on the window, alerting one of the medical staff inside. 

“I’m just making an observation,” Hux stated. Himero hummed, his lips curled like a cat’s. 

Ren couldn’t imagine Hux being a parent. He pictured that baby being stoic, raised by droids and indifferent to human emotion. Then again, something about the idea of Hux holding a baby made Ren’s heart skip a beat. He pushed away from the thoughts of domesticity being apart of his life. It was unrealistic and distracting.

A doctor in a lab coat came out of the room they were peering into. He pushed a cart with various test tubes and medical objects. Himero reaches over and picked up a cylinder that was sealed off at the top. 

“This little batch of DNA could one day be a living, breathing baby! Though you are more interested in our medical supplies for your well-trained troopers, we couldn’t help but want to show you our other advancements.” 

Himero was a memorable salesman, that was certain. Hux appeared interested in what the man had to say. Though Ren irrationally wanted to think Hux had some soft spot for children, in reality, he figured Hux was interested in the complex engineering that went into combining the genes of various species and sexes. 

As Himero, Hux, and the Doctor spoke and the stormtroopers silently eyed around the hall, Ren felt a strange spike in the Force.

_Danger_ , the Force warned. Ren stiffened and looked around the hall, trying to pick up on the apparent danger. There were many people actively moving about and they acted as a distraction. 

Ren looked up the hall, trying to see who was coming. One man stuck out like a sore thumb in the Force. His energy was plagued with bitterness and intent. He reached into behind him and-

Ren seized the General by the arm and pushed him away, sending Hux against the cart of bottles and cylinders. The cart fell over, sending bottles crashing to the floor loudly. Hux gasped loudly, clearly having been hurt by the impact. Ren cringed at the sound. He stuck his hand out nonetheless and used the Force to stop the stranger as he pointed a blaster into the space where Hux had been. The blaster bolt has hardly left the barrel when Ren stopped the man with the Force. 

Hux was panting as he sat against the cart, slowly realizing what had just occurred. Some bystanders screamed upon realizing what was happening, others stood still. Himero himself was still and his face was neutral, though his eyes were narrowed. The reaction of the Prince was somewhat underwhelming, although Ren wondered if he was just frozen with shock. He didn’t bother to dive into Himero’s mind when someone just had tried to kill Hux. Doctor Minos had her face behind a clipboard she was holding, her eyes squeezed shut.

The stormtroopers rushed over to the assailant and removed the blaster from his hand before kicking the man to the ground. The man groaned in pain. One trooper held him down with his hands behind his back while the other searched him. 

Ren stalked forward like a cat to a mouse he had trapped. 

“Step aside,” he commanded to Himero and the Doctor. They both followed Ren’s order wordlessly. Himero went over to Hux to check on him. Hux just watched as Ren asserted himself as the strongest man in the room.

With no one in the blaster’s shot line, Ren released the bolt and let it hit the wall behind him. A few people whimpered and hurried out of the hallway. The researchers behind the glass windows were still, watching Ren pass by their windows. 

Prince Himero offered Hux help up, putting out his hand. Hux rejected his help and moved to get up, cringing in pain. He looked at his wrist where he noticed a cut had opened and was bleeding. He must have been cut on one of the broken flasks. The researcher tried to clean up the destroyed and disorganized objects that were lying about caused by Ren flinging Hux into the cart. Hux couldn’t be bothered to snarl at Ren about why he had to throw him into a cart full of _glass_ for fuck’s sake when trying to protect him.

Still, it was somehow charming watching Ren stride angrily towards the perpetrator. 

Himero offered to clean up Hux’s wrist, conjuring up a white rag. Hux just let the Prince think he was being amiable by cleaning up Hux’s bleeding wrist. 

Ren loomed over the assailant, glaring down at him. The mask made him appear more ominous and less upset than he actually was. The man looked young with wild eyes that burned at him. The man tried to move out of the grip of the stormtroopers, who warned him to not move and put a blaster towards his head.

“Rebel scum, I assume?” Ren quipped. The man let out exasperated sighs. 

“You don’t intimidate me. The First Order will be tyrants to the galaxy!” The man yelled, raising his head from the ground. 

“I don’t intimidate you? Then you’re extremely idiotic to not be afraid,” Ren said in a low tone, raising his hand near the man’s face. 

He began to dig into the man’s mind, searching for the truth. His focus was getting lost though as he kept thinking about the man was going to try to shoot Hux. It was a stupid, pathetic endeavor. Did the man really think he could just end the General’s life so easily? What would shooting someone in a public space where _babies_ were developed do for the image of the Resistance or whatever organization the man aligned himself with?

Ren was so focused on his frustrations he barely noticed how he was crushing the man’s mind under the weight of his powers. The man was panting and began to turn pale, saliva dripping from his mouth like a savage dog. The stormtroopers didn’t know what to do but weren’t about to confront the Force user about his aggressive powers. Hux was growing alarmed, seeing it fit to stop Ren before he blew the man’s head clean off from the pressure of the Force. Hux noticed how intrigued Himero was, his eyes sparkling with interest. 

Hux cautiously walked over to Ren and put his hand on the man’s large bicep. He wanted to squeeze Ren’s arm. Hux swallowed.  _Now is not the time to admire at how sculpted this idiot is,_ he thought. 

Ren flinched when feeling Hux delicately place his hand on him. He retracted himself from the assailant‘s mind. The man’s head hit the ground and he gasped hard. 

“Take him outside and hail a ship to pick him up and interrogate him,” Hux ordered, removing his hand from Ren’s arm. He wished Ren could control himself so he didn’t have to come and physically tell Ren to relax. He was worried people would find the act of him calmly touching Ren as a sign of some sort of relationship.

The stormtroopers bound the man’s hands behind this back and forcefully lifted him from the ground, ordering him to move. When he was out of sight, Prince Himero hurried over to General Hux. 

“I deeply apologize General! I will investigate into who let him slip in with a weapon! Is your wrist alright?” Himero said sincerely. Ren highly considered doing to Himero what he did to the bastard that tried to shoot Hux.

“I’m fine, it's just a cut. You already cleaned it, really Prince Himero you’ve been very cordial to me and… my co-commander.”

Himero took Hux’s wrist again nonetheless. Hux appeared uncertain and even uncomfortable but did not complain. He rather be diplomatic than give into his own emotions. Himero removed a small packet from his pocket and opened it, smearing a bacta gem across the General’s wrist. Hux gave the Prince an awkward smile, not wanting to reveal his discomfort. 

“Thank you, Prince Himero,” Hux said before slowly retracting his fist. Hux adjusted his sleeve to cover up his skin once again. 

“I hope this incident didn’t affect your choice in our agreement.”

“I think the original agreement is desirable, but for the sake of condolences let’s cut the prices on the first few of our shipments,” Hux said with a little grin. Ah, there he was, still getting what he wanted despite almost being assassinated. 

“Fine by me,” Prince Himero agreed. He put his hand out to shake. Hux shook the man’s hand firmly but then tucked his hands behind his back somewhat shyly. 

Himero turned and offered his hand to Ren to shake, still smiling stupidly. Ren really couldn’t believe the audacity of the Prince and how badly he read the room. Hux wasn’t looking at him, but Ren could already hear the stream of _‘you better shake his hand your kriffing brute_ ’ coming from Hux’s mind. 

Ren shook the Prince’s hand. A strange static moved through his hand, alarming the dark knight. Something shifted in the Force, he just didn’t know what it was. He stared at Himero whose face was devoid of deep thought. Even when skimming the Prince’s mind, there was an absence of any plotting. Ren pulled his hand away, somewhat aggressively. Hux sighed through his nose. 

“Though this day had an unfortunate event, I’m sure we will have a long-standing relationship! Long live the Supreme Leader and praise the First Order!” Himero’s tone somehow unnerved Ren but Hux seemed all the more pleased with it. “Now, I take it that you men are hungry?” 

Prince Himero led them out and away from the mess they left behind. Ren followed behind Hux and Himero, feeling the need to be the barrier between Hux and the world behind him. Something still rang in the Force, something odd and uncertain. All Ren could do was follow his General and hope they weren’t heading into the black unknowingly. 

Ren was a darksider, he controlled the powers that lesser men fell to their knees in fear over, yet even he knew that there were things that were too dangerous for him to handle so carelessly. Ren had an inkling that Himero, or even the planet they walked on, caused the Force to ripple in worry and cry out to Ren to control it. 

There was no point in forcing the information out of Himero if he didn’t know what he was looking for. It was safer to let the strange ripples in the Force to come to him with its intent.

The Force shifted in discomfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we love setting up all of this plot. leave a comment babes!
> 
> cw: blood mention
> 
> follow me on tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com)


	5. The Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy, what a surprising development. leave a comment!
> 
> see bottom notes for content warnings.

Hux was anxiously awaiting for his shift to end on the bridge. He loved his job, but he was itching to continue with his Starkiller project in his personal office. The construction of the base was long and tedious, but it would be nothing less than perfection under Hux’s authority. Hux estimated it would take three standard years before it could be fired. He already had the perfect target in mind. 

The new trade agreement with Quirinal proved to be efficient for the First Order as it lifted off a source of stress from Hux. The finances had improved, allowing for Starkiller Base to be built with the more expensive equipment Hux wanted to use in the first place. Starkiller was like Hux’s baby. He was building it up from nothing and giving it glory. Well, maybe the weapon would bring him glory but it would have grandeur nonetheless.

Ren and Hux hadn’t spoken since Quirinal, which was around six standard weeks ago. Granted, Ren had been off doing Force knows what on his own missions in search of Luke Skywalker. Hux tended not to stick his nose in affairs dealing with the Force, but unfortunately, the Force often had a lot to do with the Resistance. Was it too much to ask that his military dealings not have anything to do with the feuds of some space wizards? 

Ren being on missions wasn’t the entire reason for the two of them to be out of contact with each other. He had a very confident guess about how Ren truly felt about him but Hux couldn’t be distracted by the emotionally unstable knight. It was difficult for Hux to even bring up a conversation with Ren about their relationship without getting furious at him. There was no interaction with Ren that didn't end in Hux wanting to kill Ren or be impaled on his cock (not that they had slept with each other for weeks). 

His thoughts were interrupted by Captain Phasma marching over to him, her shiny armor reflecting the artificial lights around her. He straightened his stance and leered at her. He trusted her more than others but he was not ignorant about her capabilities and how cruel she could be. Frankly, that’s what he liked about Phasma. 

“Captain,” he greeted passively. 

“Sir, you are receiving a call in meeting room D160. It appears important, from the Prince of Quirinal,” Phasma informed him. Hux’s eyebrow quirked upwards. That was certainly interesting. Prince Himero rarely contacted him, and he never contacted him by holochat.

“Very well,” he agreed, “Captain Peavey you have the bridge.”

Captain Peavey snapped into position but Hux knew the minute he passed the Captain that the man was already disrespecting him. The older man had never been happy with Hux’s rise to power, especially given his long-standing Empirical values. His values worked against him though as he was forced to respect the chain of command, and that meant listening to Hux’s orders.

Hux reveled in his power at times. Ren may have been able to bend objects with his mind, but Hux could control armies with a snap of his fingers. Soon, he’d be able to disintegrate planets quicker than any Death Star.

When Hux opened the door to the meeting room he felt his ears turn red. Ren was standing in the room, black-clad and helmeted as usual, like he hadn’t been gone for weeks. Hux lowered his brows at Ren. Ren was staring right him but with his mask on Hux couldn’t guess what Ren was feeling or thinking.

“Ren,” he greeted bitterly.

“General.” Ren turned away from the door. Hux strode up next to Ren, awaiting him to start the holocall. “It appears your mistress wants to call you.”

“If that’s your crude attempt at a joke, Ren, it wasn’t very funny,” Hux enunciated. He swore he heard Ren grumbling under his helmet. 

Ren pressed a button on the meeting table and the holoprojecter opened up, revealing Prince Himero standing in his regal uniform. For once, the Prince’s face didn’t radiate smug happiness. He seemed concerned. His eyes were shifting around and he kept his hands in his pocket. 

“Hello Prince Himero, you wanted to speak to,” Hux glanced at Ren, “...us.” 

“Hello General Hux, Kylo Ren. I am terribly sorry to disturb you but I’ve come across a situation I need to inform you of,” Prince Himero professed. 

“An issue the stormtroopers on the ground couldn’t handle?” Ren didn’t want anything to do with the Prince. Hux jolted at Ren's rudeness. He had a temptation to jab Ren in the side. 

Stormtroopers had been stationed on Quirinal as Prince Himero requested during their trade agreement. Hux was beginning to think his troopers were having too much time relaxing on Quirinal. There had been no real issues on the planet, but perhaps just the troops being there helped with the ease of the planet.

“It’s not that kind of issue I’m afraid, it may be more personal.” Ren hated Himero’s cryptic speak. He was either proposing to Hux or admitting he was an incompetent fool and Ren was hoping for the latter. 

Himero continued, clearing his throat, “Well, it seems there has been a mix up at our research facility. I theorize that afterward that terrorist tried to assassinate our dear General Hux there were a few… samples that were contaminated or confused. So our lab has something of yours.” 

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” Hux admitted, his face softening as he became more perplexed. Prince Himero chuckled awkwardly. 

“It seems one of our doctors had mixed up some DNA so- or I maybe it also was that Doctor you toppled did it purposefully for knocking over all his work- and there’s no other way to put this so I’m just going to go out with it, congratulations you are going to be parents!” 

The phrase hit the two men like a meteor. 

Ren swore the galaxy had never been so quiet. The only sound his ears could hear was the pounding of his heart. Hux couldn’t see the shock on his face, but Ren could see Hux’s face so clearly. His eyes were wide and his whole body was frozen in place. His skin was paler than the snow on Hoth. 

“I- I don’t…” Ren had never seen the General at such a loss for words. Hux’s mind began to run amok through thoughts of the future and memories from the past. Ren couldn’t cipher through them, but he did catch a peek of Hux and his father.

From the mere glance, Ren saw as Hux remembered his father turning away from him for some reason Ren didn’t know. Brendol Hux’s eyes were filled with disgust as he lifted his glass to his lips. 

“General Hux, I assure you we have the situation under control. The pod where the cells are developing are stable and young, only a few weeks old. We can terminate it if you two desire. It’s completely legal and humane on our planet to do so,” Himero explained calmly. Ren didn’t have anything to say to the Prince. Hux wanted to speak but was having trouble articulating himself. 

“How can you be sure it’s ours?” Hux asked, his tone suggesting his internal panicking. 

The Force pulled at Ren and he straightened. A cold chill beckoned him. Snoke wanted to see them. 

“My Master is summoning us. We will return to you later with an answer,” Ren told the hologram of the Prince. Himero continued to be agreeable, nodding his head. 

“Yes, of course, take your time. We will monitor the pod as we await your answer.” Ren hung up the call and promptly turned to face Hux. 

Hux was clawing his nails into the palm of his hand. He was holding his breath. 

“Hux.” Ren tried to snap Hux out of his trance. Hux didn’t move. Ren decided to replicate one of Hux’s coaxing moves he often used on him. He reached out gently and put a hand on Hux’s arm. For a man with so much influence, he was so small under Ren’s hand. 

Hux blinked rapidly. He looked up to Ren, his eyes appearing glossy. 

“Snoke is calling for us,” Ren told him. Hux just nodded his head and moved away from Ren. He adjusted his shirt collar. 

“Yes, we better head there swiftly.” Hux sounded cold and absent. Ren didn’t feel much quite yet, but he figured the information hadn’t settled in yet. 

The walk to the holochamber was quiet and the air felt heavy on their shoulders. The universe was mocking them by taking these two men, who couldn’t get along and refused to give each other a chance and giving them something to have in the future. Ren wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or a curse. He leaned towards it being a blessing but didn't want to be so ignorantly hopeful. 

Hux was sure he was being punished. He couldn’t be bound to such a powerful man. The imbalance would kill him one day. Even if this supposed developing fetus was never born, the mere fact it existed would hang heavy not only in Hux’s life but in Ren’s too as he was sure Ren would torture him over it for decades. It wasn’t his damn fault. Hux didn’t even know what he wanted, but he had the feeling he wasn’t going to have a choice.

It’s not that Hux hadn’t considered having children, in fact, the First Order needed children, but he wasn’t sure Ren was the one to have a child with. Hux needed stability. He needed someone whose ideals lined up with his. He needed someone who saw the same vision of the future with him in a controlled galaxy that would support his children. Ren only saw what was in front of him and what was behind him. Ren wanted blood but didn’t want to give it. At least, that’s what Hux gathered from him.

The holochamber was cooler than usual. The vacuum of space was always cold, but here the galaxy knew what was happening now and chose to reflect the men’s nerves in the air. 

Snoke’s imposing hologram was already waiting for them. He sat upright and stared down onto them like they were his subjects. He had his brawn and his brain standing right in front of him. They were uncertain, bitter, and somewhat furious, but absolutely willing to listen to his word. Ren kneeled to bow at his master. Hux saluted his Supreme Leader. He wrinkled his nose as he watched Ren move out of his bow. 

“Master, there’s been an issue-” Snoke raised his hand and Ren immediately shut up and lowered his head again. 

“I’m aware of the situation in Quirinal. The Force has already spoken to me about it and an associate from the planet had contacted me privately to give me details on the matter,” Snoke explained.

Hux didn’t like that one bit but kept tight-lipped. Someone went to _Snoke_ before asking him and Ren about what they wanted. He would assume it was Prince Himero who went to the Supreme Leader about his inquiry, but Hux was unsure due to Snoke’s wording. 

“How should we move forward Master?” Ren asked. 

Snoke seemed to smile. It was more unnerving than his fury. He stroked his chin, observing the two of them. Hux swore Snoke was enjoying their confusion. 

Snoke spoke in a powerful voice as he addressed his plan. Hux and Ren could only listen to what was told and not offered to them. 

“The child will develop and be born. This is a gift of the Force, this was made to happen. A child, equal parts made with the brutish power of the Force from one side and intellect coming from the other. With this, the First Order will continue to succeed. If either of you were to meet an untimely end, then there would be someone you could depend on to be there in your place,” Snoke revealed, growing prouder with every word. Hux felt as though he was going to throw up his own heart. This felt like insanity, he had to have been having a nightmare.

They didn’t know what to say or even where to start. 

“How are we sure Prince Himero is truthful in saying we are the parents?” Hux asked, forcing down his worry. It was a legitimate concern. At least, Hux hoped it was. Snoke seemed intrigued with a child that was half of each of the commanders he ruled over. Luckily, Snoke took no offense in Hux’s questions.

“I wouldn’t concern myself if Kylo Ren wasn’t the father.” Hux shifted his jaw. Snoke both confirmed Hux’s paternity to the pod-child while also suggesting how disposable and unimportant he was. Wonderful. “You two will receive updates about the child’s development then raise it in its early stages of life. I am well aware of your importance, but this will also be a part of your top projects. Be warned, if you go against my orders, there will be consequences.”

Ren and Hux both had their own worries besides each other. Starkiller and Skywalker were each of their opposite concerns, and certainly, a child would distract them. Not to mention the mere realization that they would have to work together on keeping a creature happy, healthy, and functional as a human being.

Hux still couldn’t conclude how they managed to contaminate the samples. He thought back to the day where he was attacked. He was cut and bled, but he didn’t recall Ren leaving behind any evidence. Hux could only conclude that someone took Ren’s DNA from somewhere and purposefully made them parents. Snoke didn’t seem to care though and Hux knew voicing too many worries would end in a punishment. 

Hux pictured an imaginary leash held in Snoke’s fist. It was connected to two ends, one connecting to Ren and one to him. Ren’s leash was always short, Hux knew this, Snoke was holding Ren back from destroying the galaxy out of impulse. Hux’s leash was longer so he could control his soldiers while Snoke lounged on a ship far, far away. Now, Snoke was shorting Hux’s leash and elongating Ren’s.

The balance of power was shifting. Hux felt it, and it was all over a baby Snoke saw as some sort of future galactic sovereign. 

Hux knew he was no coward, but he felt like he had to flee from a bigger prey. He knew there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and he’d have to accept this issue no matter what. He’d have to be out of his mind to go against Snoke. Ren would certainly tear out Hux’s organs if he thought Hux was disloyal.

“You have concerns again General?” Snoke’s voice echoed threateningly. Hux swallowed hard. It felt like he was forcing glass down his throat just to speak to his leader. 

“I’m just thinking of this logistically, Supreme Leader. The dedication it takes to raise a child is extreme. We both have tasks at hand that must also see to our dedication.” Hux couldn’t get out his full concern. Though his voice was clear and neutral, he felt fear swim in his stomach and warn him to watch his tone. 

Snoke let out a low, empty chuckle. Hux held his chin up. He had nowhere to run and hide from this bigger predator, so he chose to stand up to it in the guise of being a lower ranking part of the pack. Hux knew that Snoke would not let a lesser man speak to him in such a questioning way so Hux had to conclude he was valuable to Snoke. Ren still had head bowed. Hux couldn’t believe him.

Ren was still putting all the pieces together. The main piece was next to him, voicing concerns, yet that piece was the one that was breaking apart the picture. 

“I think you are capable.” Hux knew there was no escaping Snoke’s idea. “You’re a young General, so I’m sure you can adapt to this change. It will be a change for Kylo Ren too. You will prepare to raise the child. After its fourth standard year of life, I will check upon the child myself and decide it’s fate. If I deem it is strong with the Force and ready for its next stage of life, then I will take the child off you and my apprentice’s hand.”

Hux and Ren didn’t bother to ask what would happen to the child if it didn’t meet his standards. They knew. They had no connections to this child, yet they felt a cold breath on their neck at the thought of Snoke personally killing the toddler with his own hands. 

Hux and Ren pretended they weren’t hypocrites. 

“Yes, Master.” Ren stood up straight finally. 

Snoke steepled his fingers together and gave them a tight-lipped smile. Hux hated his smile. 

“Very good. Contact that Prince Himero. And be prepared for further messages about this… development.” Snoke’s holocall finished and the hologram disappeared, leaving the room empty. 

Hux turned on his heel immediately and headed towards the door. His nose flared and his eyes were wide. Ren followed after him. He wasn’t going to let Hux escape so easily, not after the information that was just dropped on them like a magnetized bomb. 

“Hux,” he said through his mask. He gave Hux’s arm a vicious yank as the man tried to escape. Hux spun around, his teeth bared at Ren. 

“What, Ren!” He yelled, his accent thick with his anger. 

“We should talk about this.” 

“Really? Do you want to discuss something? Our feelings? I’m not your fucking therapist Ren. I got my orders, now follow yours!” 

Ren didn’t want to believe that this was some coincidence. He knew he had to accept it, but the circumstance was utterly infuriating. He couldn’t throw himself away to Hux and a baby that he didn’t know. He had a destiny and a part of that destiny would have him leave everything behind that couldn’t stand next to him. And he knew Hux would never stand with him. 

It would never work. Ren didn’t want any of his hopes up. 

“I know my orders!” Ren thundered, his fists clenched. He widened his stance as if to try to make himself larger in front of Hux. Hux’s mouth was twisted. “The real question is if you know yours, you were questioning the Supreme Leader a lot General. Afraid? Incapable?” 

Ren knew this wasn’t the direction he wanted to go in, but it was the road he always ended on. Hux’s eyes looked wild. He looked ravenous.

Ren removed his helmet, ready to let Hux see his full fury. His attitude was unacceptable. 

“Me? Incapable? Oh please, even if I asked to have some damn _brat_ with you, you’d be the most incapable parent in the entire galaxy!” Hux argued, stabbing his finger at Ren.

“Oh please? I’m surprised General, you seemed actually concerned for this stupid child-”

“I’m not!-”

“-You have a weak, malleable heart for a General! Don’t ever question the Supreme Leader! What’s wrong, the baby isn’t what you wanted?”

“Stop making assumptions about me you senseless prick!-”

“Are you worried because it’s a bastard like you?” 

Hux smacked Ren across the face. Ren froze, feeling the stinging sensation bubble on his skin. Hux was also still, letting the realization of what he did settle in. Hux took a cautious step back but kept his chest puffed. His eyes were red-rimmed. 

Hux rubbed his wrist. Ren noticed how unsteady the General appeared. 

“This isn’t what I wanted. At all. I’m not ready for this Ren, especially with you involved, but I will accept the mission. For your sake, stay in your kriffing lane and let me go about my life like this never happened. Do you understand?” Hux informed him, letting in heavy breaths through his nose. He was waiting for Ren to try to kill him. The attack never came. 

Ren turned his head to stare at Hux with his dark, soulless eyes. 

“I understand, General,” Ren grumbled. 

“Good. I will call Prince Himero to tell him we are keeping this… thing.” Hux trailed off, his chest still heaving. He was still scratching his nails against his palms. “I have work to do.”

Ren didn’t feel like the conversation should stop. They were going to be parents and Hux just wanted to turn to leave. There was no stopping the General from leaving though. The man turned and left the room swiftly as if he was worried Ren would start again. The General’s greatcoat hung off his shoulders like a cape as he left. Ren touched his cheek again.

He was destined to be a parent. Logistically, he knew he’d have a child one day. He didn’t know when and hadn’t seriously considered a candidate for himself. It was this small pathetic dream of Ren’s. Somehow he knew Snoke would snatch up the child. It was for the best, Ren told himself, he didn’t have the time yet to coddle an infant.

Ren wanted to be stuck on the idea of a new familial relationship, something he still craved even as an adult. The idea of a family he could have besides the one he was born into brought him comfort. He couldn’t admire the gift given to him when Hux made it sound like a curse. The bastard couldn’t be grateful. 

Ren wished Snoke would have just chosen someone _else_ to share his genes with given how ungrateful Hux was. Ren wasn’t entirely convinced this was a happy accident, but it still didn’t make sense to Ren why Hux out of all people. Ren was sure he already had other suitors that would make better options and focus their heart and soul on raising the baby.

It didn’t add up. Maybe it didn’t have to. Maybe it was the Force that wanted Ren and Hux to have a child. He couldn't know. 

So, he and Hux would have a child. 

He found himself in a training room, slashing battle droids wide open in a fit of fury. Ren suspected the entire area of the ship had cleared when they saw him striding into the training facility. Every trooper and officer knew what happened when Ren went to train with droids. 

The room smelled like smoke, burning plastic, and metal. He was heaving, not even remembering battling the droids. Ren had made a mess. He was sure Hux would scold him about it later. 

He was furious with Hux’s attitude. Realistically, he knew Hux wouldn’t be pleased and Ren wasn’t either, but this was their chance to do something together for the galaxy and Hux immediately decided it was reprehensible. He didn’t understand why Hux couldn’t just go along with it all, why he couldn’t agreeable, why he couldn’t just try to see eye to eye with Ren. Every time Ren thought he was reaching Hux, the damned ginger would always move back from whatever progress they made.

Ren threw his lightsaber to the ground, surrounded by the corpses of battle droids. He was breathing heavily through his mouth. His helmet was sitting on a pedestal behind a locked door outside the training room. His face was sweating and his black hair stuck to his face.

He didn’t know why, but Ren felt like crying. He put his palms to his eyes and pressed away his feelings. It always led back to Hux and he just wanted it to stop. He hated the damn man.

He hated Hux for making him so intoxicated with the fantasies in his head. There’d be no happy family that came out of this, Ren knew this. There was no point in hoping. He had to still be a parent with Hux though, so they had to find some way to work together. 

An image of Leia and Han Solo flashed in his mind. They were arguing. When Ben Solo entered the room, they stopped and tried to lead the boy back to bed. Leia was leaving again, she was the galaxy’s princess after all. Han Solo was feeling lonely without her but had a hard time admitting it. Ben Solo felt a dark voice whisper in his head.

Ren left the room and put the helmet back on his head. He used his comlink to inform some unfortunate soul to come and clean up his mess. 

He wanted to talk to Hux again but his blood was still boiling because of the man. 

He was going to be a parent. So was Hux. And it was nothing like he imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, here we are. I still don't know if I should get a beta reader, but no matter what I still gotta write this thing.
> 
> cw: mention of abortion
> 
> follow me on tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com)


	6. Cynical, Creeping Criminal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Hux can only avoid his problems for so long. leave a comment!
> 
> cw: alcohol/drinking, gambling

“Sir.” Phasma appeared in front of Hux suddenly. He almost jumped. She usually wasn’t so sneaky in her approach. 

Hux shifted his jaw. 

“Yes Captain, what is it?” Hux answered and turned around. He had been staring out into the galaxy, calculating how many little planets his Starkiller could destroy in three years time.

_In three years time I’ll have a three-year-old toddler_ , Hux thought glumly. 

“Sir, Lord Ren’s ship is returning from his mission,” she informed him. He didn’t think Phasma knew of the situation between him and Ren, but Phasma was clearly aware that Hux was bothered by the dark knight. 

Their child on Quirinal had been developing for approximately four standard months. Doctor Minos had personally been sending him and Ren updates on their datapad in encrypted files. Nobody needed to know what they were assigned to do. Hux knew the second one person outside his tight circle knew he was having a baby made in machine his entire career would tumble down. A bastard with a bastard child, made in a lab and produced not even for him, but for Snoke’s desire for some perfect force sensitive child. 

Ren and Hux hadn’t spoken at all since Snoke revealed his magnificent ploy. Hux wouldn’t say he was actively _avoiding_ Ren, but he certainly didn’t want to see the raging force user. Ren’s temper was erratic over the last few months. He was constantly going on and off the ship and when he was on the ship, his path of destruction didn’t cease. Hux had noticed that when Doctor Minos sent reports of the developing fetus, Ren would be calm for a few days and wouldn’t be seen if he was on the ship.

Hux was still trying to figure out where the hell he was going to hide a baby for four karking years. The Finalizer was a damn warship, the families of officers weren’t supposed to be on the ship at all. It wasn’t going to work. How could any of it work?

“Thank you for informing me, Captain.” Phasma still lingered. He raised an eyebrow at her. “Anything else, Captain Phasma?”

“Yes, sir. The officer’s shuttle to Canto Bight is leaving, yet there are rumors you haven’t agreed to attend the event.”

“And you indulge in gossip, Captain? I find that unprofessional.” 

“I mean no offense, General. The officers are meeting with arms dealers there and I would like to know if you will be attending. It seems like a good opportunity to get off the ship.” 

Phasma was somewhat of Hux’s friend, but he curled his nose at her addressing him too formally while he was on duty. He knew she was suspicious of his grim behavior lately. He’d been more snappy and critical of others. He had even snapped at Lieutenant Mitaka, who usually was Hux’s image of professionalism and perfect subordination. 

Hux had never taken a day off. He never took sick days or shore leave, and he can’t remember a time when he wasn’t working. Every planet he visited he had a diplomatic mission, not a vacation. He knew this wouldn’t be a day off on the records, it was more like some annoying ‘company get together’ to improve morale, but it irked him. 

Hux was still skeptical of Phasma’s intent. “I see.” 

“Permission to speak freely General?” Phasma asked. He huffed and waved his hand, giving her permission. “I think you need it. You may not get another time like this to enjoy yourself.”

_Especially not if I’m raising the brat of Kylo Ren,_ Hux thought, shifting his jaw. 

It was looking like a better opportunity the more he considered it. Damn Phasma. 

“Alright, write it in that I will be attending. And secure me a suite in the hotel.”

“Yes sir. I will be on the ground as well, for security reasons.” 

Hux cocked an eyebrow. “Will you now? Can I expect you out of uniform?” 

“You’ll find out,” Phasma said. It was her crude attempt at teasing him. “I will get right on it sir.” 

Hux watched her march out. She was serious as always, but Hux knew she had a good sense of balancing her work with her personal life. He hadn’t had a break in a long time, he suspected not many of his officers did, so having a night on the gambling planet should theoretically improve the officers’ spirits.

Especially since Ren kept ruining the overall morale every time he returned to the ship. 

The thought of Ren coming back made Hux ill to his stomach. He would go to Canto Bight for at least the night. Ren couldn’t ruin that. He couldn’t take that away. And he certainly wouldn’t end up with a goddamn child after going to the planet for leisure. 

 

/////

 

Hux didn’t own any civvies. All his clothes were extremely formal, for work and for meetings on other planets. He only had uniforms of various varieties. Even his gym wear was First Order issued. Uniforms made everyone appear equal to each other. Any outfit he wore that wasn’t First Order issued he had borrowed or was gifted to him. Hux never spent his credits frivolously on clothing. What would be the point? He had no one but the First Order to present himself to. He felt somewhat embarrassed of himself that his closet was primarily black for the clothes he wore outside his chambers. 

He opted for a black suit with embroidered roses on it. The roses shifted from gold to a green tone under different lighting. It was gifted to him from Rae Sloane. It was one of the only non-issued outfits in his closet and he only kept it to respect Rae Sloane. That, and it was the only gift that ever mattered to him (not that he ever really received gifts). She had been upset with Hux’s bland looks and ordered him to stylize once in a while to impress others. Hux didn’t like people always gawking at him if they weren’t doing it to admire his status and accomplishments. The shirt he wore underneath was plain black, buttoned up to the collar. The sleeves of his suit jacket had similar floral designs on them. He wasn’t sure if he found the outfit appropriate. 

Hux wished the shoulders were padded more. The outfit still concealed some of his smallness but it wasn’t enough to bring Hux into full confidence. Hux patted the top of his red hair. It was slicked back, as usual, but didn’t know if it matched. 

_Stop preening! It’s not that serious!_ Hux moved a hair back into place. He picked up his small bag packed for the night and headed off to the shuttle. He didn’t see Ren on his way out. 

He was stressed sitting on the shuttle. Hux felt like others were looking at his outfit choice too much and would judge him for the unprofessionalism. In reality, the others didn’t pay notice as they were in their own formal non-issued clothing. Hux was used to conversing with his officers, but he did feel awkward actually having to spend time with them off work. Most of them were genial, already laughing or discussing politics. Hux stayed out of it the best he could. He had never seen Captain Peavey so relaxed. He had seen Mitaka stressed before. The young lieutenant was clenching his fist to his pants, feeling out of place amongst the officers. The man looked like he had just shaven. 

They landed on Cantonica just as the sun on the planet was setting which made the officers giddy. The nightlife was what they came for. Troopers and the Canto Bight police personally escorted the officers to the resort they’d be at for the night, which already was pulsing with lifeforms. Hux enjoyed the beautiful architecture of the building but didn’t really know why he came in. He wanted nothing to do with this event.

_I don’t have to see Ren here,_  he thought, then quickly shook his head. It was best not to think of the fearsome knight. He was supposed to be having some fun, or something like that. 

As he was checking in, someone grabbed his shoulder. He flinched and half thought to shove his hidden blaster in the face of whoever grabbed him. He turned to see a familiar tall, short-haired blonde looking at him. Her lips grinned and her eyes narrowed. Hux let out a sigh of relief. 

“Easy there, General,” she said. 

“Phasma! You startled me, I thought you were going to guard.” 

“I am. I deserve a break too though.” Hux raised an eyebrow. The statement seemed like a contradiction. “This is a disguise.” 

She did look fetching. Phasma was already quite the tall woman, so her black closed toed heels only made her tower over Hux more. He suspected with her heels, Phasma also was taller than Ren. She wore a sparkling dark green suit with a matching cape that hung off his shoulders powerfully. She looked elegant for a woman who had probably killed more people than the number of lifeforms currently staying in the hotel.

“Somehow I don’t understand how you are both working and partying,” Hux said, earning a chuckle from her. The receptionist gave Hux a key and a bellhop took his bag up to his room. Hux tucked the key into his breast pocket. “So, what will you be doing.”

“Mainly making sure you all don’t get assassinated. But also wooing all these rich pricks wives out of their boring relationship,” she winked at them. Hux’s eyebrows raised and he nodded his head. She was really breaking out of her shell. “And what will you do?”

“I don’t know Phasma. Talk about my project, discuss politics-”

“I mean for fun, sir.” 

He blinked. “Ah, well, yes. Probably drink. Maybe gamble?”

“You are on Canto Bight.” He didn’t need her being disappointed in his partying habits. He didn’t party and frankly, his associates shouldn’t be partying either. They were officers for Sith’s sake. “Perhaps you are just nervous.”

Hux’s eyes widened. “I am a decorated officer of the First Order, going to public events do not make me nervous.”

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. Phasma jutted her head to the side. Hux followed her head motion, watching people filter in and out of a large archway into the hotel’s casino. Everyone was dressed in their finest attire with confident smiles on their faces. Hux very much wanted a lot of these rich fools to lose their money like it was nothing. 

He followed Phasma into the casino which was absolutely packed with aliens and people alike. He could see a few of his own officers already mingling about with expensive drinks in their hands. The various tables of gambling games were surrounded by people dressed in rare silks and the feathers of endangered birds. Hux knew how to gamble, he just didn’t partake in it much. 

The eccentric dress ware of the crowd was quite memorable. The different cultures of all the lifeforms gambling away at machines and at tables contrasted each other greatly. Though others had simple formal attire on like Hux, he felt underdressed as he watched aliens with dresses made entirely of gems or skin-tight latex with hats bigger than their bodies walkabout. Impracticality apparently made someone more fashionable. Various workers walked around with dishes of finger foods and fancy drinks in strange glasses. 

They wandered around for a bit, observing the crowd and occasionally pointing out important people or making snarky comments about others. Hux tried to enjoy what she was saying, but he kept feeling like something was tugging at the back of his mind. 

A waiter came over, offering him and Phasma some sort of red alcohol from a tray. They both took a glass and the waiter scurried off. Hux sniffed it. It smelled strong and well aged. He figured it was also expensive, but it wasn’t like he was paying.

He took a generous sip of the drink and withdrew quickly, letting out a sigh and scrunching his nose. Phasma chuckled at him. 

“What, too strong?” she teased.

“Just not what I was expecting is all, it’s not bad.” He cautiously took another sip. Phasma tried hers and near gagged.

“It’s karking awful. I don’t want this,” she groaned, looking around for a place to put it.

“I’ll just drink it after, just hold it.” She raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t complain. Looking around the room, she pointed Captain Peavey laughing amongst older gentleman while smoking fat cigars. “They really love looking like Imperial pricks, don’t they 'Tidge?”

Hux near choked on his drink. He swallowed it down hard and glared at her. She held her hands up, knowing she offended the general.

“Just because we are on some sort of leisure, doesn’t mean you treat me any less. Understand? And keep your eyes peeled.” He swallowed the rest of his drink and took Phasma’s. The glass was laughably small. He was surprised Phasma didn’t just drink it down just to look tough. 

“Yes sir.” She, again, wasn’t going to argue with the strangely volatile general. “Now is there anything you wish to talk about, freely?”

He didn’t like she was eyeing him, as if she was trying to break open his seams and find his secrets. Like hell he’d expose himself so easily to her. He glanced around the room, spotting Lieutenant Mitaka surrounded by the rich at some gambling table. They were jeering and cheering around it. He raised an eyebrow.

He swallowed down Phasma’s drink quickly. He put the empty glasses of liquor in Phasma’s hands and began to head off towards Mitaka. 

“Have fun cuckolding someone tonight Phasma, best of luck,” he told her. She rolled her eyes at him and headed in another direction, finding Hux hopeless at the moment.

Hux picked up another glass of… something… from another waiter walking by. This drink was more tasteful, seemingly mixed with some fruits. He wedged himself through the crowd to stand next to Mitaka. The man looked determined, despite his shaking hands. 

“Evening sir!” Mitaka said, perking up upon seeing his General. Hux raised his glass at Mitaka. The man was holding a hand of cards.

“What are you playing Lieutenant?” Hux asked, taking a sip of his glass. 

“Sabacc, sir.”

“Didn’t take you for a gambling man, Mitaka.”

“No sir, but I have played on and off for fun. Might as well try my luck.”

“And how are you doing?”

Mitaka blushed. He kept looking between his cards and Hux. Hux leaned in to listen to the lieutenant better.

“I was doing pretty well until that young lady came to the table. She’s been bleeding everyone near dry!” Mitaka said, exasperated. He appeared to be focused on his game by how close he was to sweating all over his cards.

Hux glanced around the table of rich men and aliens. Their faces were all plagued with disdain and frustrations, looking through their cards with snarls across their faces. The crowd around them were utterly entrenched in the game though, their mouths parted in anticipation. 

There was only one human girl at the table. She had warm ivory skin and brown eyes that were focused on her cards. Unlike everyone else at the table, she seemed calm. She wore a face full of beautiful makeup that blended into her face well. Unlike many of the ladies he had seen tonight, her makeup wasn’t eccentric or cultural. Her lips red and shiny like the band on her head covered in red jewels. Her dark brown hair sat on her shoulders. She wore a ruby red sequin dress that had long sleeves went up to her neck. Her dress, from where Hux could see, was short with an artistically patterned half to it going from her waist to the end of the skirt. Hux couldn’t see if she was cheating, she certainly didn’t appear to have any place to hide extra cards. 

She looked like royalty. She also looked too young to be gambling, as a teenager. 

There were six players at the table, including Mitaka. The dealer waited patiently. The girl suddenly drew a card and put into her hand. The table eyed her skeptically. She was to the left of the dealer. She looked up from her cards, seemingly stare right info’s Hux eyes. He was a bit unnerved by the strange girl.

“Mitaka, what do you have?” Hux whispered to his lieutenant. 

Mitaka tried to keep the most neutral face as possible so he wouldn’t give his cards away. He put his cards near his mouth to keep anyone from reading his lips. 

“Honestly sir, I have a good hand. The question is if anyone has a better hand than me,” he whispered back. Hux nodded and continued to watch, sipping his drink as they went along. 

The players took their turns either drawing a card or standing. Mitaka chose to stand, swallowing a lump in his throat. Hux understood the game, he just didn’t play. 

“Final hands?” The dealer called out. He flipped his cards. “19.”

Two of the players yelled “bomb out” since their cards added up higher than 23. The other alien showed his hand of 18, so that was an out. 

The girl stared at Mitaka, waiting for him to say what he had. He just stared back. The corner of Hux’s mouth twitched.

“Are you going to sit there or share what you have?” Hux asked, frowning at her. She huffed and gave him a little smile. 

“You’re General Hux, aren’t you?” She leaned forward. 

“What’s it to you?”

“Oh, nothing.” She flipped her cards over. “20.” 

A soft chatter went around through the crowd. They all were looking to Mitaka now. He flipped his hand over.

“21.” The crowd gasped and gave him a small round of applause. The dealer pushed a stack of credits towards Mitaka. The man was glowing.

“Good work Mitaka,” Hux beamed. He patted his lieutenant on the back and put his empty glass down. When another waiter came by with glasses of alcohol, he picked one right off the tray. He offered another one to Mitaka.

“No thank you, sir, got to stay focused!” He cheered.

“General Hux, care to join us? Your lieutenant has been such a joy to take credits from, I assume you will be much better,” the girl taunted. She spoke big for someone that just lost a round. She was leaning on her fingers as her elbows rested on the table. “Winner overall gets that big lovely pot over there.”

Near the dealer was a large bucket filled with credits and some jewelry. It was tempting, but Hux wasn’t a gambler.

“I rather not,” he said, putting his hand up. 

“Oh come on, have a bit of fun. Tell you what, if you win against me I’ll tell you a bit of information you’ll find very interesting.” She gave him a wide smile and even wider eyes.

Hux’s eyebrow quirked up. She was vague, but something told him she actually had some important bit of information. 

“And what kind of information would that be?” He asked. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” She smirked at him. He didn’t know if she was just jostling him to play or if she actually had something to say. 

The dealer began giving out everyone’s hand of cards. He grumbled to himself. He could just torture her for whatever bloody information she was hiding. But he chose to play instead. He got in an empty seat to the right of Mitaka and the dealer gave him two cards.

He knew how to play sabacc, but he knew he was playing amongst professionals. He was given chips from the dealer. He assumed he’d be charged for them later. 

Looking at his cards, Hux immediately felt a pang of displeasure. Not great, but he couldn’t afford to go over 23. He opted to trade his card when it was his turn. Mitaka drew. The ruby girl kept her hand. One of the older men at the table pushed his chips in.

“You’re really going in,” she commented offhand, organizing her cards. 

The man chuckled, puffing out a fat cloud from his cigar. “Well, maybe I’m a winner. Miss Kane, someone who is so confident, you don’t bet a lot.” 

_Kane,_ Hux took note of her name.

The girl narrowed her eyes. She pushed a load of her credits in. People around the table chatted amongst themselves. Mitaka and Hux stayed with their regular amounts bet. The other two players pushed a load of their credits. 

The dealer flipped his cards. “25.” 

The two other players flipped, announcing their tying hands of 19. They grimaced. Kane flipped her cards, a little innocent smile across her lips. 

“22.” The crowd giggled and clapped. She tilted her head, staring at the old man with the cigar between his teeth. Hux swore he was about to bite the damn cigar in half. She gave him a mocking pout. “What’s wrong, not as good as you expected?”

“You have to be cheating,” he grumbled. He threw his cards on the table, revealing a 20. He got up and left and she just hummed happily. The other two aliens saw it fit to abandon their post while they were already in a hole of debt. She waved them off. Mitaka just put his cards down and sat still. 

“Bye bye idiots,” she beamed, leaning over the table to grab the chips. 

“Wait,” Hux said. He turned his hand over. “23.”

The crowd clapped and gasped, their eyes all focused on Hux now. He adjusted his coat and put his chin up high. She chuckled as the dealer pushed the chips over to Hux. It was a hell of a lot of chips for his first winning round. They probably could buy a spaceship. 

Mitaka was radiating, smiling at him. “Good job sir! Very lucky on the first hand!” 

“Thank you Mitaka, but you should focus on your own hand. Perhaps Miss Kane should be taken down a notch.” Mitaka nodded in agreement. Miss Kane watched them, a fire reflecting in her eyes. 

The three of them and the dealer went back and forth for a few rounds. Hux would win some, Mitaka would win some, but they would mostly lose to Miss Kane. Their confidence diminished, realizing that they shouldn’t be cocky over their few good wins. She knew how to play in the long run. Hux and Mitaka watched their stacks of chips diminish and go into Arla’s long fingers. Hux still had a bit of chips left considering how many rounds he went through. 

Over the course of the night, she seemed to grow more tense and upset, his lips stuck in a flat line even when she won. She kept shifting about. Hux thought she was getting bored even with the competition, but Hux began to feel hazy. He felt half ready to fall out of his seat, but for the sake of appearances he stayed up as best he could. 

He looked at his glass. He didn’t remember getting a drinking glass in the shape of a corkscrew. What did he just drink? He looked over, noticing a few empty glasses that had been left behind. He wondered when someone would come to clean them up. It took him a moment, but he realized waiters had been coming to clean up his glasses and bring him more and he had just grabbed whatever was close by. He was surprised nobody had said anything about it. 

“Last round boys,” she announced. Some of the crowd whined. “I’m growing tired.”

“Tired of draining us dry?” Mitaka asked. She let out a small laugh. 

“My apologies. Here, I’ll bet all my winnings to make it even. That and the bowl of course.” She seemed to notice how unfocused Hux was getting. She snapped her fingers. He clenched his jaw, surprised someone had the audacity to snap at him. “Still with us General?”

“Of course. Deal.” He tried to say it with much certainty and power as he could. He held in a hiccup. How many rounds had he played? 

The dealer sent out the last hand. Miss Kane put a card on the table. Mitaka followed the same. Hux stared at his cards. 

15, not great. He chose to put a 10 down. The dealer shouted “Sabacc shift!” and everyone changed the cards they were holding. Hux picked up his new card and the card he saved on the table. He almost smiled. A 20. Now that was pretty damn good, but not good enough. Mitaka and Miss Kane didn’t move.

Hux took a gamble and picked up another card. He sighed. 

The dealer put out his cards. “Bomb out.” 

Mitaka was next. “18.” 

Poor bastard. Hux was glowing like a star. 

“23.” He announced. The table clapped for him. He barely moved before Miss Kane giggled. He gritted his teeth at the prideful girl. 

“Ah, but General. Not every 23 wins.” She put down her cards. The onlookers gasped loudly. 

“An idiot's array!” The dealer announced. The unbeatable hand in the game. It was over. The dealer pushed the winnings toward Miss Kane. “Winner, Miss Kane!” 

Mitaka sighed sadly but went out to shake Hux’s hand. Hux didn’t look his way. He was holding his stare against Miss Kane’s. She gathered the winner’s pot as well, grinning from ear to ear. The crowd clapped for her politely. Some tried to talk to her but she was focused on collecting her winnings. 

“Sir? Are you alright?” Mitaka asked. Hux gripped the edge of the table. Miss Kane was becoming more unclear in his sightline by the minute. Her grin seemed to disappear from what Hux could make out. 

“Hmm?” Hux hummed, slowly turning to the lieutenant. Mitaka suddenly looked very pale. “What Mitaka?”

“Sir you just- well- seem a little,” Mitaka stammered, but Hux had already lost focus on what he was saying. 

Hux glanced around the room, wondering where Phasma had gone. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a black-clad figure move about the room, trying a little too hard to fit in. Too tall to blend in, dressed in too many shades of black, and with a nose that stuck our sorely on his face, Hux could only feel the hairs on the back of his head prick up as he realized who it was.

_Ren?_ He wondered, sticking his neck up slightly. His hearing was somewhat muffled. He blinked, but nothing got better. He got a glimpse of the black cape swooping out the entryway. Hux finished his drink and put it on the table, getting up to go find out why the hell Ren was on Canto Bight. 

He didn’t even notice Mitaka was still talking. Mitaka immediately shut up once Hux had gotten up and power-walked away. Flustered, Mitaka could only watch as Hux disappeared into the crowd. Miss Kane was watching Hux leave. Mitaka caught her eye and they stared at each other. She looked away from him and sorted through her chips.

Hux pushed through the groups of people, muttering soft excuse me’s as he wiggled through the crowds. He swore he heard someone calling for him but he was too focused on finding Ren to let the voice beckon him. 

Hux pushed his way out of the casino back into the main lobby. He saw it again, the swish of a black cape turning a corner into another hallway. He followed it, his fist tightly clenched at his sides. He couldn’t believe the knight. Had Ren _followed_ him to Canto Bight? 

He almost fell over himself when he turned the corner into the hallway. He leaned against a wall for a moment, his lashes fluttering. He smacked his cheeks, trying to get himself to stay awake. His cheeks were warm and he was flushed just about everywhere on his face. Hux kept pushing forward, only now noticing how out of it he was. He couldn’t walk straight and the walls seemed to move. 

His feet practically dragged against the marble floors as he walked. There was no one around that he could see. He stopped, panting. His stomach churned with discomfort. Hux half thought he was going to throw up if he didn’t pass out first. 

Hux slouched over, clenching his stomach. He coughed but nothing came up. 

Something held his shoulders before he could topple over. He honestly was too intoxicated to be wary of strangers. He turned his head and looked at the dark figure holding him upright. The person pulled Hux near his broad chest. The General didn’t struggle, which was concerning in its own right.

Hux squinted his eyes and slowly the picture became clearer. Ren was holding him, looking at him quizzically. 

“General,” Ren said in a flat tone. Hux narrowed his eyes at Ren. 

“What the bloody hell are you doing?” He asked, his words slurred together. He put his hand out at Ren, attempting to push him away but all efforts against the knight were futile. 

“Apparently I’m saving your ass again,” he ridiculed, pulling Hux up again. He forced Hux to put an arm around him. The General swallowed hard.

“I didn’t ask you to help me, Ren,” the General spat. His head began to lull and Ren snapped his fingers in his face. Hux’s head shot up. Another asshole had the nerve to snap at him. 

“Stay awake. And it doesn’t matter if you asked, you always seem to need my help.” Ren softened his voice, watching as Hux became more dreary with every moment. 

He looked attractive in a strange way, with his suit and his face all blushed and his eyelashes downcast over the soft look in his eyes. His hair had become disheveled with ginger strands covering parts of Hux’s face. Ren began to walk, forcing Hux along with him. He was annoyed, beyond irritated, but he wasn’t going to leave Hux to be picked off by the birds and humiliated. Ren had some morals, he liked to think.

After all, Hux was the father of his child. 

The thought made Ren grimace. Hux looked was in no condition to be a father. Then again, was Ren?

“My hero,” Hux sneered, accepting Ren’s support. He dug into his pocket and handed Ren the key his suite. “Here, take me to my room. But that’s not an invitation to stay.” 

Of course it wasn’t. Ren stayed quiet as he helped Hux to his suite, wondering what had been going on inside of Hux the last few months. Hux’s lips kept tight about how his stance changed on fatherhood but Ren figured that his opinion didn't change much. 

He was a bit frustrated that Snoke had kept sending him on missions while his baby was developing but he reminded himself there was nothing much he could do in the meantime. He had to work, he had to find Skywalker and destroy him. He and his knights were there to make the galaxy as it should have been for him and as it will be for his and Hux’s child. 

_Don’t get attached already, there’s no knowing the outcome,_  Ren reminded himself. Snoke would take the child, or maybe it would never see the light of day anyway. 

He looked to Hux, who was still struggling to stay upright. 

_Don’t get attached. There’s no knowing the outcome._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i binge watched good omens and good god it was lovely. anyway, here is the inspiration for [Hux's](https://www.google.com/search?q=interesting+handsome+suits&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwig0aXd1PviAhUIVt8KHWCoAYIQ2-cCegQIABAC&oq=interesting+handsome+suits&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-img.3...14189.17389..17490...0.0..2.551.3318.25j3-1j1j1......0....1.......0..0j0i67j0i24j33i10j33i299.fQuUHuQ-01Y&ei=UF8NXaDpO4is_Qbg0IaQCA&bih=622&biw=414&client=safari&prmd=isnv&hl=en-us#imgrc=1ewFNZwvAFhNrM:) and [Phasma's](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/398850110749695404/) outfits in this chapter!
> 
> follow me on tumblr[@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com)  
> i also have a twitter but im pretty lame on it [@truemoongoddess](https://twitter.com/truemoongoddess)


	7. Happier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the dark side disaster gays are at their emotional shenanigans again, hotel-style. and there's only one bed lmao. leave a comment!
> 
> cw: sexual content

Ren threw Hux onto the bed as soon as he got into the suite. Hux let out a whine as he was sprawled out on the bed, his eyes flickering as he stared at the ceiling. His head moved from side to side in slow, sluggish motions. The room was decent with a small living area and large bedroom. Ren suspected that there was going to be a gap in the budget after tonight if people went over their limits. There was a balcony overlooking the city. The lights of Canto Bight looked as though the stars in the sky walked amongst the people. 

Ren began to remove Hux’s boots from his feet. The General suddenly began to withdraw, letting out another whine as he scooted himself towards the headboard. Ren was still holding one of his feet when he looked up to Hux, noticing his straight mouth and bowed head. His cheeks were flushed a bright red. 

“It’s fine Hux, I’m just removing your boots. I’m not going to do anything,” Ren promised. Frustration crinkled in Ren’s eye but he did his best not to lash out at the drunk. 

He continued on when Hux relaxed his body, plopping himself back down onto the bed. He was helpless anyhow. He threw off Hux’s boots and then stood up, heading off to find Hux a cup of water and pain relievers. 

“Why are you here Ren?” Hux asked, putting an arm over his eyes. Ren stopped. 

“I was on a mission with one of my knights. There was a rumor that one of the men here has information on a force user that knew Skywalker.”

“Any luck?” Ren was somewhat concerned about why Hux was making civil conversation. 

“Found the man, and found the location of the force user. I’ll send my knight out to gather information and then end them.” 

There was a pregnant pause. Months without talking and he couldn’t believe this was his first interaction with Hux. Hux began coughing and sat up clutching his stomach. 

“Fuck, get me a bin,” he groaned, reaching his hand out and making grasping motions. Ren rolled his eyes and picked one off the ground and handed it to Hux. Hux coughed over it, but nothing came out. The man did look miserable.

“How much did you drink? Did you stick everything that they gave you in your mouth?” Ren miffed, standing next to the bed. 

“It’s good practice for you… for when we have a toddler. Hear they are slobbery.” Ren froze. 

Hux licked his lips, shyly looking to Ren as he considered what he said. The air felt denser. Hux slumped over, looking down into the empty bin. 

“Right.” Ren couldn’t think of anything to say. He was sure whatever he would say would cause the drunk to lash out at him. 

Hux coughed again over the bin, but nothing but globs of salvia came out. After a few minutes, Hux got up and shuffled to the refresher. Still drunk, he bumped into just about everything in his path. Ren followed him like a shadow, unsure what to say or do. 

Hux bent over the toilet and threw up. His stomach had nothing but liquids in it so he felt his stomach clench in pain as all it could throw up was water. He closed his eyes, a few tears dripping from his face from the harsh burn in his stomach and in his throat. 

When he was done, he slouched over against a traditional bathtub and put his palms to his eyes. He was a mess. Ren sighed. The General looked entirely pathetic. He wanted to taunt him, but he figured Hux was too drunk to even understand a taunt. Instead, Ren filled a cup with sink water and tried to offer it to Hux. 

“Drink,” Ren offered, jutting the cup out. 

Hux stared at it from in between his fingers. He suddenly began to chuckle, a strange smile appearing on his lips. Ren raised an eyebrow at him and asked, “What?” 

“It’s just funny. You’re treating me like I have morning sickness.” 

“No, you’re drunk. I know you don’t.” 

Hux snarled and snatched the cup. “I know Ren, it was a joke,” Hux chugged it down, “now please get out.” 

Hux’s mental stability was teetering. Ren could sense that his fuzzy mind was on the verge of a breakdown. On the other side of the clouds that blocked all his senses, Ren knew there was a sea of sorrows just waiting to be sailed across. He wanted to help Hux, he wanted to talk to him, but his pride told him to leave the General in his sea of drunken emotions and let him deal with it himself. 

It didn’t feel right for Ren to leave. After all the silence between them, he couldn’t abandon Hux yet. 

“Would it make you happier?” Ren asked. Hux tilted his head. He wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.

“What?”

“Would it make you happier if I go?” 

Hux stilled, his eyes quickly looking down. He didn’t answer Ren, though Ren didn’t think Hux had an answer. Hux’s eyes reddened and he began to sniffle. Ren felt his face twitch. 

Hux stayed quiet, looking up at Ren through his eyelashes. Ren took that as an indication to leave. He didn’t know what else to do with himself. 

He had to return to the Finalizer and ready for his next mission. He didn’t visit Canto Bight to party with the other officers, he had actual work. Leave the bastard to his wallowing. 

He headed towards the door but something stopped him from leaving. The Force was calling him, telling him not to go. Hux needed someone to turn to.

Hux was scared.

He turned and stared at the doorway to the bathroom where Hux was still. Hux had moved to get up, leaning over the sink. He gargled some mouthwash and spat it into the sink. Hux stared at himself in the mirror, seeing his pale skin and tired, red-rimmed eyes. Hux hated the man in the mirror. His chest started to heave.

He was crying, Hux was crying. 

Hux felt a surge of frustration and punched the mirror, hearing a deafening crack. A few shards of glass shattered, but the mirror stayed intact for the most part. Hux dropped back down to the ground and began to cry, holding his hands against his face. 

Ren hurried to the doorway, seeing Hux amongst the small bits of glass. He didn’t know what to do with the General. Ren hated the ambivalence. 

“I can’t do this Ren, I’m not ready,” Hux cried, taking in a harsh breath. 

“Do what?”

Hux looked up at Ren. Those sorrowful eyes controlled Ren like the pull of the Force. 

“Be a parent. I’m not ready. I didn’t ask for this,” he admitted. He knew Hux wasn’t adamant about having a baby against his will, Ren wasn’t either, but he didn’t know Hux became so untangled because of it. 

Ren leaned down and scooped Hux up into his arms. Hux was too drunk and too upset to care. 

The crying haunted him. His mind was brought back to the vision of Hux crying while the ceiling collapsed over him while nobody there to protect him. Ren began to grow an irrational fear of Hux’s crying because he was worried that it was a signal of Hux’s end. 

He went back into the bedroom and laid Hux down. Hux took in a deep breath, his hands clinging tightly around Ren’s neck as the man put him down. They met each other’s eyes, seeing the uncertainty they both were hiding behind sneers. Ren began to sit up and Hux held him tight, still helpless. 

 _Don’t go don’t go,_ Hux’s mind begged. His walls were breaking down. Ren was sure the alcohol didn’t help. 

“I’m here,” Ren said, giving in and leaning into Hux’s embrace. It’s all Ren wanted, yet it wasn’t what he needed at all. He was sure when Hux woke up the next morning it would be back to cruel sneers and fighting. “Let me get my shoes off.”

Hux let go, growing sleepy. His eyes began to flutter. Ren threw off his shoes and shed a layer of his clothes. He guessed he was staying with Hux for the night. He hated how they always ended up like this. He got onto the bed, helping Hux out of his suit. Hux was as still as a doll. He got Hux to his undershirt but didn’t bother with Hux’s pants. He didn’t want Hux feeling too exposed, especially in his drunken state. 

They laid next to each other. Hux’s nose was still red and his eyes were still wet. Ren didn’t know how much longer he could stare at the General’s soft face. It felt unnatural. 

“What are we going to do Ren?” Hux whispered. 

“Raise a baby, I guess.” Hux snorted, rubbing his eyes.

“How can you be so sure? I don’t know how this will work, between my Starkiller project and you always going on and off the ship, and no offense you aren’t the most stable-”

“Hux.”

“-and the officers can’t know I’ll never hear the end of it. Where will I put a baby? I tried to figure out where in my room the baby can go but it seems wrong, a ship is no place for a child,” Hux babbled continuously. Ren had never seen Hux so anxious. Being anxious seemed like something a new parent would feel yet it didn’t feel right.

“How do you know that?” Hux snarled at Ren. 

“I grew up on ships Ren. It’s lonely. I don’t want our baby to live its life on ships.”

 _Our baby_ , the phrase made Ren’s heart swell. That was something to hold onto. 

His master had repeatedly told Ren to rid of his past attachments. This was the perfect way to. He had something to look forward to, which made it easier to leave everything else behind. 

“I’ll conquer the galaxy so they won’t have to,” Ren swore, a little too seriously for Hux to take sincerely. Hux let out a sad laugh.

“Alright then, whatever you say _Kylo_.”

“I won’t abandon you if that’s what you're worried about,” Ren said in a soft voice. 

Their noses were nearly touching. Ren could see everything, from how Hux’s eyes changed colors in different lighting to how he looked so vulnerable without the stern expressions he wore on the ship. Hux scratched his nails against his palms, avoiding eye contact with Ren. 

It was all far too intimate. In the morning, they’d bicker and fight all the same and there’d be nothing left to hold onto. 

“I can’t trust you on that,” Hux admitted. Ren frowned at him but pushed down any anger he could find. Hux was scared. “I don’t want to disappoint myself and get hurt.” 

Ren didn’t want to think of the General as precious. The man was teetering on being a homicidal maniac with his plans for Starkiller, yet he spoke like he had watched too many romance holos. Somehow, it still got to Ren and stuck in his mind and heart like a tar. 

He had to get rid of it, there could be no distractions. They were just on a mission was all.

_But this is what I want._

Ren swallowed hard. He got closure to the General and hugged the man against his chest. Hux let out a small hum but didn’t fight out of it. His mind was too muggled to be stubborn, and Ren’s chest was too comforting for him to want to leave. Ren pet the back of Hux’s head, combing out the hair gel to find the soft locks underneath. 

“I’ll protect you, Armitage.” It was the will of the Force for Ren to defend his General, no matter how much they fought. 

Hux was already asleep.

 

/////

 

Ren could hear an incredulous beeping that was stirring him out of sleep. He felt a shifting beside him and let out a soft, sleepy moan. Hux was waking up. Ren reached his hand up in search of the beeping object so he could destroy it. It wasn’t going to ruin his moment with Hux. He didn’t know if he’d get another one. 

“I’ll get it, it’s my datapad,” Hux said, yawning. Ren opened his eyes, his lips curled in disdain. Of course the General’s cleared mind would go straight back to work. Ren shoved his face into his pillow. 

The room was dark but the lights from Canto Bight were still shining bright. It was still night, but Ren felt like he slept for hours. 

He felt the bed move as Hux crawled back on top with his datapad glowing in his hand. Hux gave Ren’s shoulder a push and he groaned.

“Wake up you dolt, it’s from Quirinal,” Hux told him.

“What did your princely boyfriend message you?” Ren murmured. 

“No you karking idiot, it’s from Doctor Minos. She’s sent something about the child.”

Ren got up quickly after that. He pretended to be nonchalant about his interest. Hux eyed Ren cautiously as the man moved next to him. Ren wondered how much he remembered. 

“What is it?” Ren asked, leaning his head on Hux’s shoulder. Hux flinched and leaned forward. Ren removed himself off Hux. Right, there were still boundaries. 

Hux pressed on the message. “It’s an image file.” 

Hux opened it. The image was strange, black and white and fuzzy and- 

“Oh. It’s the first ultrasound.” 

They both stared at it, wide-eyed and silent. The little picture of practically static would be their future. It was something they made together, meaning to or not, but it was there now for them to take. It wasn’t something they were ready for.

But they knew they wanted it. 

Ren knew there would be no happy ending for him and Hux. Snoke would take the child eventually, perhaps to never be seen again. Ren could still dream of the what if’s though. It was just a fuzzy image from a planet galaxies away, yet it was their entire universe sitting right in front of them.

“Wow.” It was the only sound Ren could let out. Hux's eyes were right on the holo but he seemed a million light-years away. 

“So. This is real,” Hux accepted. Ren nodded his head. The Force shifted around them as if the entire galaxy was focusing on them.

The stars quickly stopped looking at them once Ren held Hux from behind, squeezing the man’s arms. Hux glanced down to where Ren was gripping him then looked back to the holo.

“What have we gotten ourselves into, Ren?” Hux wearied, leaning back against Ren. Ren felt his cheeks warm. The General never accepted Ren’s embrace so easily and so casually. 

“Perhaps something good will come out of this,” Ren said, running his hands up and down Hux’s arms. He was savoring the intimate touches he was giving to the General. He never got to be so kind. 

“What could you possibly mean by that?” Hux lifted his datapad higher as if the round white blurb as their sun shining down upon them. 

“We don’t always get along. I admit that much. But this might be something we can be united on. To raise a child to be strong and prosperous,” he told Hux. 

“To bring glory to the First Order.” Hux glimmered. Ren drooped his head into the crook of Hux’s neck.

“Maybe even to bring glory to us,” Ren suggested softly. It sounded like treason. Hux’s heart skipped a beat and he swallowed hard.

Hux wormed away from Ren’s grip and put the datapad down, turning it off so they were illuminated only by the artificial lights of Canto Bight. Hux crawled back over to Ren. He sat on his heels, legs slightly parted. 

“I can’t believe this is happening to us still,” Hux said, scratching the side of his face while looking downwards. 

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here with you.” Hux’s eyes shot up at Ren.

“How can you not be afraid? This is quite the fragile… mission,” Hux stammered. 

“I have concerns, but we’ll work through them. We always do.” Hux shrugged his shoulders. “How are you not hungover?” 

“My body says it will deal with a hangover tomorrow. I feel fine right now, lucid even,” Hux told him. Ren eyed Hux from top to bottom, admiring the way his top fit around his slim body. Ren felt his gut stir. Something about the intimacy between them made Ren crave the General. 

“Fine enough to deal with the aftermath of a hangover and… extraneous activity?” Ren asked. Hux flared his nostrils at the brute. He tilted his head to one side, putting a hand against his face. 

“You think of me as being weak, Kylo Ren?” Hux baited, his eyes darkening. “You should see my kill count.”

Ren felt his Adam’s apple bob in his throat. He smirked at the General anyhow, “and you should see mine.”

Hux moved forward, touching Ren on the face. Hux’s palm was soft for someone who was a murderer. Hux felt the little moles on Ren’s face. The face in his hands would be a father to his child. It seemed so improbable that it was the truth that Hux almost laughed. Yet that was the truth, and Hux joked to himself that he hoped the baby wouldn’t have Ren’s dramatic nose. 

Ren was growing tired of Hux’s slow motions, as much as it made him shiver and throb. He leaned forward and kissed Hux. The General immediately responded, tilting his head to kiss Ren back. Their kiss was less vicious than usual. It was passionate and somewhat sweet. 

The sweetness was far more dangerous than the usual vicious spice they had when they tore into each other. The intimacy was far more dangerous than their casual fucks. Something was changing in the air, and it was deadly for both of them. Someone would get hurt when they were together.

Ren could only hope it wasn’t him who was going to get hurt. 

After wrestling with Hux to get the top position, Ren had managed to get Hux on his side, panting and gasping with Ren’s fingers hooked in his mouth. Hux slobbered on them uncontrollably as Ren moved in and out of Hux at a steady, hard rhythm. Ren had one hand on Hux’s leg to keep it up and outwards so he could get the best angle. He had to keep his own leg between Hux’s as he made the General moan and gasp under him. It was somewhat of an awkward position, but Hux looked absolutely delicious in his hands. 

He had stripped Hux to nothing but his socks. His undershirt was still on but now pushed up past his chest to reveal Hux’s perky nipples which Ren had sucked and bitten on determinedly. Ren had stripped down completely, revealing his large, toned figure. 

Ren focused on his thrust and the hot heat around him. He savored Hux. His moans were Ren’s music, his gasps his wine, and his body his treasure. It amazed Ren how he could make such a powerful man wither so easily. And Hux loved every second of it. His mind radiated with pleasure and begs for _more, more, more._

“You know what this means right?” Ren asked, letting out a groan as he pushed into Hux hard. He was without a condom, but it was too late for protection anyhow given their circumstance (Ren thought he was funny). 

“Wah?-” Hux gargled around Ren’s fingers. Ren slipped his fingers from Hux’s mouth so he could prop himself more comfortably. Hux turned his head to better look at Ren. His lips were wet from helplessly slobbering all over Ren.

“What this whole mission means for us?” Hux didn’t have an answer. Ren thrust into Hux practically hard, making Hux whine and near give out. Ren panted, meeting Hux’s hazy eyes. “It means you’re mine.”

Hux had no response but his eyes were wide. If Hux wasn’t red before, he was fully red now. Hux felt his entire body flooded with pleasure. 

Hux may have had no verbal response, but his body did. He came hard against his stomach, letting out a breathy sigh. Ren chased Hux, picking up his pace so the General could have no rest. He released hard into Hux. Hux clenched the pillow hard, gasping and clenching his toes. 

Ren tried to catch his breath, his nose pressed near Hux’s shoulder. He gave Hux lazy kisses on his skin, nipping softly. Ren wanted to make it a mission to claim every corner of Hux’s skin. Hux’s body relaxed against the sheets. He grunted when Ren popped out of him, feeling a hot slick drip of him. He didn’t like the mess, but he loved the feeling. Ren slid behind Hux and spooned him, allowing for his dick to press up against Hux’s backside. Hux grimaced.

“Don’t be nasty, you brute,” Hux told him, still catching his breath. Ren chuckled. 

“You worried about being clean, General?” Ren slid his fingers between Hux’s ass, feeling the work he did. Hux shiver and felt his legs spasm. “I feel like you call me a brute a lot.”

“Maybe that’s because it's true,” he muttered. “And I thought I told you not to stay the night, you arse.”

Ren flipped Hux onto his back and crawled over him, looking Hux straight in the eye. Hux looked bewildered, still breathing hard.

“You say whatever you please, I know the truth. You can’t hide it from me. You need me. You want me. And that’s why you’re mine.” 

Hux’s gaze was fixed on Ren and his jaw was slacked. Ren couldn’t read Hux, even when he dug into the man’s mind with the Force. Ren figured he was too shocked to even know what to feel. 

Hux reached up to touch Ren’s face, cupping his cheek. Ren loved the feeling, he suspected Hux knew he did. Like a cat, Ren pressed into Hux’s hand. He shut his eyes for a moment.

“I need someone to trust for this mission we will embark on.” Ren’s eyes shot open. His brow creased down at the flushed General, who was not afraid to meet Ren’s eye. “You won’t have anything, not until you deserve it Kylo.” 

 _What the hell is he talking about?_ Ren pressed his lips together. He didn’t understand Hux’s need to turn their passion into a discussion about trust and work. 

Frustration boiled in Ren’s chest as Hux’s hand left his face. Ren dissected the words in his head trying to find an answer, but all Ren could find was that Hux didn’t trust him still.

Ren had Hux’s tiny life in his hand, under his body, and the man didn’t trust him? Ren tried to be logical and consider Hux’s naturally distrustful nature and hostile work environment but he couldn’t help but feel personally offended. 

“Trust? Hux, I’m here right now with you and you don’t trust me?” Ren asked, baffled. Hux looked away, feeling vulnerable underneath Ren as he grew more frustrated. 

“It’s not- it’s complicated. I just don’t feel like this whole baby thing is going to end so beautifully.” 

“Yet you aren’t even going to try?”

Hux wrinkled his nose, “I am trying. Ren, you know what will happen at the end of this. It’s best not to think too much and just try to work together, that way we and the Order won’t crumble.” 

Ren wanted to yell at him to stop thinking about the Order for their personal matter.

But Hux was right. It wasn’t personal. It was Snoke’s. And Ren didn’t want to argue anymore when he had made Hux so calm under him. It was all he had for now.

“Go to sleep General,” Ren said, moving off Hux and laying next to him. Hux groaned indignantly. 

“I’m sweaty and disgusting Ren I should at least-”

“Stop talking,” Ren said a little more forcefully. Ren turned to his side. Hux didn’t speak and it unnerved Ren. 

He hadn’t realized he has played a force trick on Hux’s mind. Panicking that the General would realize and grow upset, Ren put his fingers to Hux’s temples and pulled the man into sleep. Hux went out easily without any more complaints.

Hux could say whatever he wanted, Ren would make the General’s heart his. Ren put his hands to his face, realizing his own depravity, anger, and desperation.

He couldn’t decide if he cared or not though. His heart was full of want, and he was growing impatient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been so hot and im dyinnnn. please validate my horrible fanfic as the plot continues to be thicc
> 
> my tumblr has been plagued by good omens and im sorry. follow me on tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)


	8. Honey I’ll Do Anything For You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more heartfelt moments with the Boys. Enjoy! Leave a comment, they bring me such joy!

Snoke hadn’t contacted them about the child in months. They weren’t sure if it was a good sign or not but Hux and Ren pressed onwards anyhow. While Hux worked on his Starkiller project and commanded the Finalizer, he also had begun to work out the logistics of having a baby on board the ship. 

Ren’s room was out of the question. Not only was Ren off-ship frequently, Hux knew his room was often trashed from his fits of rage. Hux didn’t particularly want a baby in his quarters, but it was the best option. He had to figure out how to get the baby formula, diapers, and other miscellaneous baby items on ship inconspicuously. He had also ordered a NAN-E droid to be brought on ship, though he felt uncomfortable with the idea of a robot caring for such a delicate piece of him. 

He needed an ally to watch the baby too. Choosing who to trust proved to be a difficult assignment. Mitaka and Phasma were obvious candidates, but Phasma couldn’t be bothered by children and he felt as though Mitaka may be too apprehensive to care for a child of Ren. Hux knew he’d feel guilty handing off his child to someone else. 

Hux took a sip of his brandy, looking over the logistics of it all again and again. They needed to have a pediatrician on-site. All the droids and doctors abroad the Finalizer didn’t specialize in children, why would they? There were only a few more months until the baby would be born (or whatever word would describe a pod-child coming to life. Born seemed disingenuous to Hux). Hux felt like he was racing against time. 

His comlink beeped and Hux fished it out of his pocket, still focused on the schematics of having this baby. He figured he could put the crib next to his bed, though the crying would probably make him near deaf. Looking at his datapad, he was trying to find a place to fish out a baby raising budget. Somehow he began looking into setting up a fund to send the damn kid to university when it got older.

As if he’d get to see the baby grow up.

_Stay in your lane._  Hux wasn’t known for being insubordinate and he wasn’t going to start, no matter if he was a parent or not. 

“General Hux here,” Hux answered. 

“General,” Ren’s vocoder manipulated voice answered. Hux snarled.

“I told you not to contact me on my com! We have an encrypted transmitter for a reason, Ren, and a holopad!” Hux scolded. Hux could practically hear Ren’s eyes roll on the other end. 

“Hello to you too. I’ve returned,” Ren addressed calmly.

“I figured. What do you want Ren?” The holonet had such cute baby toys. Too bad Hux had figure out to discreetly get them on the ship. Hux wanted to slap himself for letting himself get to indulged by baby products.

But the small socks were pretty adorable.

“Well, I was thinking of taking you-”

“No.”

“You didn’t let me finish.” 

“That was the point. I’m busy trying to plan for a baby which, by the way, you should have a vested interest in since you are the other father. While you’ve been doing Force knows what on Maker knows where I’ve been trying to figure out to do get monthly amounts of baby formula onto a karking warship!” Hux ranted, tempted to crush his comlink in his fist. He could feel the blood vessel in his neck tempting to pop like a child’s balloon. 

“If you let me finish the sentence you wouldn’t have such a stick in your ass!” Ren said with a raised voice. Hux took a large sip of his brandy, going through every expletive in his head. “I was going to ask you if you would like to join me on a trip to Quirinal.” 

Hux raised his eyebrow and leaned back into his seat. 

“You want to go back to Quirinal? Isn’t that home to your apparent romantic rival?” Hux snorted. “I can’t just leave my station.” 

“Unfortunately, it’s the place where our developing child is. I would like to see the baby, make sure everything checks out. Prince Himero is a seedy character-”

“More like your jealous, insecure character,” Hux murmured into his glass.

“-and I just want to check. Won’t it be a good thing to visit the baby anyway? We could figure out more of the logistics.”

“You mean I can figure out the logistics while you fuck off for weeks at a time like an absent father,” Hux snapped. Ren paused, seriously considering his answer.

Ren and Hux didn’t need to be reminded about their fathers. Hux solemnly looked into his drink, watching the cubes of ice float around in their glass cage.

“Hux, I’m trying to help right now. We should go see the baby before it is born to see how it’s doing. I know I haven’t been the most disposable for you and we have been on the rocks, but I want to be there for the baby and for… you.” Ren admitted, his voice surprisingly sincere despite his vocoder.

Hux was quiet for a moment, unsure how to respond to the dark knight’s heartfelt confession. Hux looked down to his datapad, seeing the little suggested advertisements for baby blankets. Hux sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Does… does Supreme Leader Snoke approve of this trip?” Hux asked, hating himself for stuttering. Damn Ren and his sorrowful self. Ren inhaled hard.

“My Master doesn’t disapprove. Besides, this is important,” Ren insisted. “So make an excuse for your subordinates.” 

“I’ll figure it out!” Hux hissed, standing up and swallowing down his brandy. He cleared his throat. “When should I be seeing you, Ren?” 

“We could go right now if you’re ready. I will fly my TIE fighter-”

“I’m not taking your TIE fighter, which is a military fighter that I designed may I add, to a passive planet where our child is being developed!” Hux criticized. “And I’m not ready, I’m in my bathrobe. It’s the gamma shift.”

Ren paused. “Is that all you’re wearing or?...” 

“I swear to the Maker I’ll kill you one day Kylo Ren,” Hux said through gritted teeth.

“So I’ll take that as a yes. We’ll leave first thing during the alpha shift. And to please your high-class needs, General, we’ll take a shuttle.”

“Be inconspicuous. We don’t need the damn staff thinking we are a couple.” 

“Yeah wouldn’t that suck if the father of my child was thought as being my lover too, terrible.” 

“Shut up. Hux out.” Hux hung up. He looked at himself in a mirror. No, he wasn’t wearing anything under his robe but he sure as hell wasn’t letting Ren grow an erection who knows where on his warship. 

 

/////

 

Hux worked being off-ship suddenly and, thankfully, his subordinates didn’t blink in concern. If they had any concerns, they shouldn’t dare to voice them if they knew what good for them. He appreciated that their servitude to the Order allowed him to go off ship easily enough, not that he liked leaving his ship. He did get a glare from Peavey, as expected, and a nervous glance from Mitaka (expected), and a suspicious nod from Phasma (concerning). 

Ren and Hux rode a shuttle silently to Quirinal. Hux chose to swipe through his datapad in search of viable baby products. He had already picked out a crib, unbeknownst to Ren. He’d need to assemble it himself. He didn’t want to crib coming in one piece in case someone opened the shipment. 

It was somehow embarrassing to Hux, sorting through baby catalogs. He was a high-class First Order officer, he had blood on his hands and was developing one of the deadliest weapons in the galaxy, yet he was shopping like a young mother. 

When the shuttle landed, Hux tucked his datapad away. The trip had to be quick. Hux began feeling separation anxiety from the Finalizer already. Leaving on such short notice was dangerous for him, even if everybody just nodded their heads and batted their eyelashes at him.

Manto was waiting for them as they landed, her ears pointed downward and her arms crossed. She glared at the two men.

“This is a sudden visit-” she began, but Ren put his hand up. 

“We don’t need to inform you of anything. This planet is open to commercial tourism so we can come and go as we please, and you have a vested interest of ours so why should we need to make an appointment?” Ren informed her. Her jaw shifted because she could do nothing but let the two men destroy her schedule.

Ren was correct that they were allowed to travel through Quirinal freely, but Hux was irritated that Ren hadn’t informed Manto that they were coming. Hux was so focused on preparing for their brat and making sure the ship would function without him that he had forgotten to check if Ren had actually made some sort of appointment. Typical. 

Manto had nothing to say to Ren and let them pass. She seemed irritated, which was understandable, but rudely so. Even if Ren was a blockhead, she didn’t have to make such a fuss about their trip. If anything, it was the business of their doctor. 

Upon reaching the research facility, Hux began to get a different feel from the planet. There was the usual bustle of tourists and patients, yet somehow the atmosphere appeared unpleasant and less welcoming. Hux figured it was because of Ren’s imposing figure but something bothered him about the way people glanced at them. Did they know them? Did they hate them? Hux adjusted his collar and recalled every place he had hidden a weapon on his body. He didn’t think he’d be threatened this time, but he was ready for unexpected attacks.

Doctor Minos was ready to greet them at the reception table. She seemed flustered and immediately snapped to attention once she saw Hux and Ren. 

“Hello General Hux and Lord Ren, this is a sudden visit! Next time you’re supposed to schedule an appointment,” Doctor Minos tried to explain politely. 

Ren, again, had no patience for anyone that confronted them. “You can take it up with Supreme Leader Snoke then. I’m sure we aren’t disrupting too much by seeing the state of our kid.” 

General Hux stood by idly, watching Ren as he lost his temper. He was trying to imagine how hard it would be to push on a pressure point on Ren’s body to make him shut up and stop embarrassing him. 

“I understand but there are rules and regulations, you can’t just come here whenever you please.” Doctor Minos was shrinking back against the reception desk. 

Ren reached his hand out near her face, stilling her with the Force. Her eyes widened and everyone in the area stopped and stared at them. Hux was really going to kill Ren for causing such a ruckus. 

“Listen Doctor, I did really rush this trip here but I’ve been traveling around for months without an inkling on where my supposed baby is and how they are doing, so you can understand that I'm a little,” Ren clenched his hand slightly and Doctor Minos let out a little choking noise, “ _impatient_. Now, you can just let me see the pod, or I can take from your mind and every nurse that came in contact with that pod every memory of interacting with it. Do you understand?”

Ren released his Force grip slightly so she could nod her head. He huffed and dropped his hold on her. The Doctor gripped the reception table. The receptionist was white as snow. The Doctor did her best to regain her composure.

Hux hadn’t thought about how Ren felt about the child. He didn’t realize Ren had been so anxious to see the truth and to let it hit him. He somehow felt guilty about hardly considering Ren’s emotions through their journey, especially since Ren was always _so_ emotional. Hux considered giving Ren the benefit of the doubt, despite how much the man annoyed him.

Wordlessly, Ren strode off to go find the pod where their child was developing. Hux gave her an apology for Ren’s actions before following after the black-clad knight. Doctor Minos was still shaky, her sharp eyes still wide from the encounter. 

Hux folded his hands behind his back and caught up to Ren.

“Good job frightening our doctor Ren. How do you know where you’re going?” Hux flouted, watching as Ren’s ceaseless gaze stay on the path ahead of him.

“I can feel them now through the Force. I used to not be able to sense the child but now I can. It’s odd,” Ren explained. Hux could only hope their child didn’t inherit Ren’s crazed delusions that left Hux wanting to bash his head into a wall. Why did he have to speak so cryptically? 

They entered back into the fertility and family development section of the facility where the halls were bustling less than they last saw them. There were mainly doctors and nurses wandering about. They all tensed anytime Ren got too close to their proximity.

A human doctor saw it fit to stop the strange men from roaming around aimlessly. She had a little badge that said ‘Doctor Nikos’ on it. Bravely, she asked, “Can I help you, gentlemen?” 

Kylo waved her hand in front of her face. “You will take us to the pod where General Hux’s and Kylo Ren’s child is developing.”

The woman stiffened, her eyes become void of emotion. “I will take you to the pod where General Hux and Kylo Ren’s child is developing.” 

The woman turned around and walked forward. Ren and Hux followed. Hux’s lips quirked downward in distress. 

“What did you do?” Hux asked, watching the woman walk like a droid. 

“Just a little force trick. I also have dipped into her mind. It seems very few know about our child,” Ren explained. 

“Well, discrepancy doesn’t help since we arrived in this building so suddenly.”

“I’ll erase memories and those who I can’t erase I’ll use these head doctors to convince their subordinates that we are coming because of unsavory rumors that we had to personally investigate.”  Ren sounded sure of himself so Hux didn’t see fit to question him. There was no questioning a force user anyhow. 

The woman eventually led them to a hallway filled with various rooms of pods that held developing children. Some rooms had two pods, while others were sealed off from peering eyes. Hux figured it was a luxury to have more privacy from the public. He wondered if any malpractice were going on behind the doors he couldn’t see into. 

There was a door that led to a windowless room. The Force trembled as the two men approached it. The doctor put a code into the door. It was like the other private rooms, Hux assumed, and he was grateful for the privacy. He wondered if the so-called accidental creation of their child was done in this room or if they could transport the pods. 

When the door open, Ren felt his heartbeat silence his senses and burst in his body for a moment. Hux’s lips parted slightly.

The room was dimly lit, having not expected visitors that day. In the middle of the room was the pod. Around it was various monitors and even a timer estimating the child’s arrival. The name listed on the monitor attached to the pod was “HUX/REN 001.” Above the little nameplate was the rhythm strip being displayed of their baby’s heartbeat. 

Hux went in first, starstruck by the sight. It was just a pod, it wasn’t much yet, but he still felt his entire demeanor change. 

He wasn’t supposed to feel like this. 

Behind Ren’s mask, the man was slack-jawed. He was frozen at the doorway. 

“We need a moment,” he said, closing the door with the Force to keep the doctor out. She made a little gasp trying to get a word out to him but he already made the door lock behind him.

Hux's eyes were stuck on the pod. There was a small window looking into the strange liquid in the pod, but the window was blurred so not much could be seen. Ren approached Hux and cautiously put his hands on the General’s shoulders. Hux let out a little sigh but didn’t pull away.

The Force moved strangely through the room. Ren could feel the Force react to Hux’s presence somewhat carefully. The Force presence welcomed Ren, finding comfort in the Force user. It was their child, no doubt, figuring out how to reach out to its parents. Ren felt pride knowing the baby would be force sensitive. 

Dread somehow found its way into the back of Ren’s mind. His Master would appreciate that the baby wasn’t some force null like Hux. 

Hux put his hands on Ren’s hands. Ren felt a shiver go across his body. For Hux, it was a bit odd to be held by a masked figure tenderly but he knew there was an emotional turmoil behind the mask.

Ren released Hux from his grip and Hux slowly moved forward towards the pod. His movements were strange, almost like he was entranced. 

When Hux was close to the pod, he slowly hovered his hand over the device. He seemed indecisive over if he should touch it or not. Ren just watched the General, fascinated by him. The light coming from the pod made Hux’s hair looked like it was glowing. 

Hux read the little monitor. The sex was labeled as “SURPRISE,” which caused Hux’s mind to run a million different directions. 

Hux finally touched the small spherical window on the pod. 

The Force moved _._ It felt as though a strange wind swirled around them. Hux couldn’t feel it, but Ren could and he had never felt anything like it. Ren almost clenched his chest with his hand. It wasn’t painful, but it was like a flip was switched in the Force. 

Ren didn’t know what to make of the feeling but he knew Hux caused it by connecting with their child. The redhead was utterly mesmerizing. Even without a glorious speech Hux still knew how to be captivating.

Hux removed his hand and the Force calmed. Hux turned around slowly and looked at Ren, his eyes glimmering. Ren felt selfish because he knew that he wanted Hux all to himself at that moment. Ren wanted a million things from the galaxy but he knew Hux was something he needed. The pull of the General was irresistible. It didn’t make sense to Ren how such an infuriating man drew him in so much. He didn’t have a word for it. The General needed to be heard and seen and Ren could forever watch the General and his softened, delicate face realize how close he was to the new future. 

It felt odd just lingering in the dark room in front of a machine that hissed and breathed for their future child. Ren didn’t know if he was in love or just was hazy from the Force and the baby that he knew was now real. 

Ren walked forward to the pod and observed it carefully. Hux watched him but stayed quiet. He kept clenching and unclenching the hand that touched the pod. 

“So, here we are,” Hux finally said, his eyes moving away from Ren’s head.

“Yes. General, I must ask you something. It may not make you happy,” Ren said. He took his helmet off so Hux could see his face. He was trying to keep his face as neutral as possible but his emotions were going wild because of Hux and his close connection to his baby. 

“Nothing you say makes me happy,” Hux said softly, though his underlying tone was sarcastic. 

“Hux look at me.” Hux begrudgingly did, looking into Ren’s dark puppy eyes. “I’m asking you to trust me, at least to try. We have to do this together. If not for one another, then for the child and for the galaxy. Glory will only come if we work together.”

“Easy for you to say,” Hux wearied even more quietly. 

“Hux, I’m being serious.” Ren tried to hold Hux’s wrist but Hux pulled away as if Ren was trying to hurt him. Ren stopped immediately, putting his focus on Hux’s face. He seemed nervous and uncertain. 

Ren was trying his best to be patient. He was in an amazingly restrained mood, but he attributed that to the connection he had with the child. 

“I… you’ve been more calm and reasonable to me than usual, even if we do fight. I don’t know what to make of it,” Hux admitted, his face turning pink. 

“What, you like when we fight?”

“No!” Hux said defensively, then adjusted his tone. “I just don’t know how to deal with this new Ren that is trying to do more than be angry and selfish. I don’t know if it’s real.” Hux’s cheeks were hot. 

Ren ignored the implied insult since he knew Hux was genuinely unsure if some sort of healthy relationships actually developing between them. Ren didn’t know if Hux had ever had any good relationships in his life. He knew Hux and his father were snakes to each other and that little Armitage got the final strike, and he considered Hux to have some sort of friendship wit Captain Phasma but even he wasn’t that naive. He knew Hux didn’t talk to many people outside his work. 

“I’m sure I’m still myself, which means I don’t put myself out there to relationships. And I know you don’t really either. I know we must trust each other, or at least try. Don’t you want to bring glory to the First Order? To children? Then we must do this, together,” Ren insisted. Hux sighed, annoyed that he was impressed with Ren’s little speech.

Ren put his hand out with his palm up. Hux caved in. He slid his hand into Ren’s, leather on leather, pulse on pulse. Ren gently held Hux’s hand. 

“I’m already giving you a part of me by agreeing to raise this child. But… I assume I will have to learn to trust you. I don’t expect you to be perfect, but you must promise to hold up your end. I don’t understand these Force things admittedly so I need you here.”

_He needs me,_  Ren’s head rang. It was like they were vowing themselves to each other. 

It was an agreement built on the blood of soldiers and the powers of mythical force users. They were to raise a child together and bring glory to themselves and the Order.  

Their hands separated and Ren put his helmet back on before the door slid back open. Doctor Minos and Prince Himero we’re standing there, quirking their eyebrows at the sight of the two powerful men standing in the dark, looking into each other’s eyes.

Ren pushed past the little crowd and left before they could question him. Hux was left alone in the dark with the pod of what he knew would be what was left of him when all ended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sleepy rippp,, i have kinda been in a writing rut lately but hopefully i can get back in the swing of things! i really want to create a routine or steady foundation for myself so when I get to uni i dont fall behind on this lil fic!
> 
> yes the title is from the stupid Ashley O black mirror song dont roast me. 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)


	9. The Scars Will Stay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aw man, here we go again. somewhat fluffy chapter and it might be a lil shorter im sorry,, but im winding up for the big boys that are coming. anyway, enjoy hux and ren trying their best
> 
> cw: child abuse (aka brendol mention).

Time was running short and Hux was running on very little sleep. Not that he was a great sleeper anyway, but because of the expectancy of his and Ren’s baby he was running on pure willpower. 

The night after they visited the pod for the first time, Hux got the best sleep of his life. He attributed that to Ren fucking all the energy out of him in a passionate, crazed session of sex but Hux pretended he was better than that. Though Ren still had to leave the ship, he was keeping up his end of the promise. Ren had been more amiable and tolerable, though he continued to be edgy and brooding. 

Ren helped him put together a crib in his quarters from the smuggled in parts Hux ordered. There was something strangely enduring about watching Ren put together a crib piece by piece with little tools that made his large hands look comical. "No, I don't need to read the instructions," Ren had told Hux. He ended up reading them after having several leftover parts. Ren was oddly patient though through the task. The NAN-E droid also showed up inconspicuously. Hux had it upgraded to look less like a NAN-E droid but kept all its important maternal components. He already planned to hide it in his closet when he wasn’t using it. 

Hux would either have to send other droids to fetch packages for him then erase their memories or Ren would show up with items they needed. It was an efficient system for the time being. He wasn’t sure if it had to do with his relationship with Ren or if the baby, but Hux rather not let anyone find out anything. 

Hux was attempting again to figure out more logistics of keeping the baby in his room. His quarters were larger than most other officer’s quarters, so it gave him more space to fit all his needed baby supplies but he still felt strongly that it wasn’t sufficient. It would have to do, but it wasn’t enough. He figured eventually he’d have to turn his office into the child’s room, but he was lucky enough to have quarters with a private office so he tried not to be bitter about the prospect of having to move all his furniture out and back into the main living area. He knew it was better to have the baby in its own room in case someone broke in or, more realistically, that Hux wanted the baby’s cries to be somewhat muffled so he wouldn’t go half deaf from having a crib near his bed. 

Ren complained about wanting to have a share by perhaps keeping the child in his quarters, but Hux shut down that idea quickly. He didn’t want a squishy, fragile child in Ren’s room where he couldn’t always keep an eye on things or stop Ren from going on a destructive tantrum. At least in his quarters, he could stop Ren from entering, though he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

Hux was putting a lot of trust into Ren, he didn’t want to admit it. He knew he’d suffer raising the child alone, especially with the Force involved. He would choose the child over Ren if it came down to it.

He had a mission. Ren was just a factor in it. 

His comlink beeped and Hux got up to fetch it. The effects of how exhausted he was hadn’t hit him truly until he stood up. His legs felt wobbly like a newborn calf’s from the hours of sitting in front of his datapad and sitting on the floor piecing together the baby’s crib (Ren still managed to forget a few pieces. Not wanting Ren to explode, Hux decided to finish the task when Ren left and not tell Ren he did it wrong again). 

Now that Hux thought about it, he wasn’t even sure if he had ever interacted with a baby. He had been reading article upon article on childcare for new parents but he hadn’t considered that he never interacted with an actual baby. He had seen babies, but he can’t remember the last time he held a baby, if at all. 

This really was his shittiest plan to date. To top it off, he was confident Ren had little experience in dealing with children and in having the patience for them. The man was emotional which meant he’d most likely grow attached to the child then abandon it after a few nights of it crying like a maniac (Hux didn’t really believe that. In fact, he was quite fond of Ren’s efforts to be active in his life). 

“General Hux here,” Hux answered the comlink, moving to plop down on his ice blue couch. 

“I’m coming back on board. I’ve brought some bags for you and the child. I’ll drop them off but then I have a meeting with my Master,” Ren answered. Hux sneered, disliking that Ren immediately had to see Snoke right after returning. 

“That’s fine. Don’t force your way in I’ll answer the door,” he instructed Ren. As much as he was now used to Ren just appearing in his room with the excuse that he was there to help get ready for the baby, Hux wanted to feel like he had some control over his own privacy. “Hux out.”

Their relationship was better if better was a word for it, but Hux still felt uncertain about the boundaries they had. Ren was more gentle with Hux, yet he was still a volatile man. Phasma had tried to ask him about Canto Bight while Ren was in the room and Ren immediately escorted Hux away. Hux was furious. If the man wanted to be subtle, that was no way to do it. He didn’t need Ren to be the gatekeeper to his life. The man had no common sense when it came to boundaries. Hux knew Phasma was suspicious of the nature of his relationship with Ren. She wouldn’t do much about it, but the fact that she knew made Hux uncomfortable. 

Ren came not long after Hux ended their call and he did for once ring the buzzer. Hux opened his door and saw the questionably large black duffle bags he was carrying. Ren noticed Hux’s black robe he had on and matching slippers. His outfit made Ren think back to cheesy holos of lonely wives wanting to woo the delivery boys. Hux’s face did not have the desire to woo though, he looked like he was four days without sleep. If Hux was any other man, the lack of sleep would have made him clinically insane. This was Hux though, who somehow was alive without sleeping much and eating very little. Admittedly, Ren found Hux less attractive when the man was tired but that could be said about most people. Hux was still alluring standing in front of Ren in his bathrobe.

“What did you bring?” Hux asked as Ren walked in. He threw the bags onto the coffee table in front of Hux’s ice blue couch. Ren rolled his neck from side to side and unzipped the two bags. He removed his helmet and placed it on the table.

“Come and see,” he said vaguely. Hux narrowed his eyes at Ren. He disliked riddles but he assumed this was Ren’s crude attempt at a surprise.

Hux disliked surprises. 

Hux sat beside Ren on the couch, leaving a space between them. Ren didn’t take the hint and moved closer to the General, unknowing of how it made Hux’s cheeks reveal a light rosy tone. Ren reached into the bag and pulled out a little baby onesie. Hux only felt his face get redder.

There was something unnatural about a monstrous murderer like Kylo Ren to be bringing Hux baby clothes. It was like a sick joke that he didn’t understand. Hux wanted to be happy, and he was letting himself grow more accustomed to the reality of the situation, but it still just felt all wrong. Still, Ren was trying to be genial and Hux didn’t want to stop him.

“You bought… baby clothes,” Hux managed to say, his eyes widening from the sight. Ren continued to pull out items from his bags. 

Ren showed off baby bottles, bibs, little hats that somehow had the First Order logo on them, swaddles, and even a baby carrier that a person would strap around their body. Hux was at a loss for words as Ren revealed his finds. 

“I’m not sure it’s enough but it’s something,” Ren said, his face void of emotion. He looked as though he was just the delivery man with no excitement or worry across his face. Hux began to feel self-conscious about how obviously emotional he was over these damned small items. 

“Well, it’s… thoughtful Ren, thank you,” Hux said to him shyly. He still didn’t know how to react to Ren’s interest in being a father. Ren had no choice in the matter but the clear effort he had in finding things for their child and bringing them onboard was overwhelming for Hux. 

He tried to stay as serious as possible in the manner but it was hard to keep his usual cold stares when he was faced with such delicate items. Hux was still suspicious that Ren was looking for his weaknesses. For the sake of appearances, Hux chose to appreciate Ren’s efforts instead of pushing them away. He needed Ren, as much as Hux hated to admit it, and Ren had to be with him during their escapade into parenthood. 

Ren kept rifling through the bag and pulled out a model Imperial Star Destroyer, a toy made for children. 

Hux recalled a similar model ship that his father had when he was on their estate in Arkanis when the planet was still theirs. 

He remembered it being the only thing on the estate to resemble a toy, something the other kids seemed to always have on them while he never did. Brendol wouldn’t allow his boy to be bothered by such superfluous objects. Still, Armitage couldn’t help but admire the model ships his father kept on his shelves. 

Like most adults, many of the memories of his childhood tended to be fuzz. Unless, of course, they wounded him. Hux didn’t remember how but he had gotten ahold of one of the Star Destroyers and pretended he was the one flying it through the galaxy. He sat on the floor, using his little arms to move the ship above his head and made little humming noises to mimic what he thought the ship would sound like. He even thought he’d own a few ships like the Destroyer one day.

Brendol had barged into Armitage’s room, easily having noticed one of his models disappearing from its shelf. Armitage couldn’t hide the ship before his father barged in. He saw the shadow cast over his father’s ceaseless glare and the sneer of disgust that frightened Armitage terribly. Brendol snatched the model Star Destroyer back and loomed over the child.

“Pathetic boy,” Brendol spat. Armitage tried so desperately to keep looking into his father’s eyes without flinching or looking away. Brendol would scold him more if he did for being cowardly. “This is not a toy, nor should you waste your time with such useless, childish endeavors. If you waste your life on pleasures then you’ll never have your name to amount to anything and you’ll always be disappointed. And I will not have a bastard who has my name be utterly worthless. The galaxy needs ruthless men, not boys like you.” 

Armitage could only answer with “yes sir” because it was the only way he knew how to respond, especially as a four-year-old. Looking back, he knew Brendol was being exuberantly annoying and harsh. Not only that, but Brendol lived off basic pleasures. He was vain and prideful. He was an adulterer with evidence of him not following his own moral principles.

Hux wouldn’t let his child be so depraved. He’d keep his child on the right path and let them grow into a strong, intelligent individual but wouldn’t force them to live life in a box like some pet he just wanted to teach tricks. 

Still, something about the toy Star Destroyer made Hux ill. He didn’t want his child to have unrealistic desires or desires that wasn't theirs. Hux was a General, but he didn’t own the galaxy like he thought he would when he had that one moment of childish bliss alone. Hux was a General, and he thought he was worth much more than that, but even Snoke thought to keep his level to the ground where he belonged. His direct connection to Snoke should’ve made him more than a General, yet Snoke never bothered to let him earn more. Just like Brendol, Snoke would rip away Hux’s desires and keep him on the path he saw fit. He may have more freedom with Snoke, but he was still under the same type of rule. 

“Hux?” Ren asked. The toy was sitting on the coffee table. Hux hadn’t even noticed it moved. He blinked rapidly and reached over to put the toy back into the bag.

“A baby can’t play with this, it’s not made for someone so small and fragile. Maybe when they are older,” he told Ren. Ren observed Hux’s strange, stiff movements. The man suddenly seemed a world away and his previous flustered expression was gone and replaced with something more solemn. He wanted to dig into Hux’s mind to see what changed but knew he’d anger the General. Their relationship was fragile. He didn’t want to destroy the strange peace between them so close to the birth of their child. Ren also liked the strange peace they had. It made him feel like he had something to return to.

“You look tired.” 

“I’m always tired, but I’m also always needed.” Hux began to place all the baby items back into their bags, carefully folding up the little onesies as he did. It was a peculiar sight watching such a ruthless man fold up little clothes. Ren wondered if Hux had an idiosyncratic trait that gave him a natural knack for being a parent. It wouldn’t make sense, given that Ren knew who raised Hux. 

Hux never spoke about Brendol willingly. Ren knew it was because of the dastardly things Brendol had done to Hux. He knew there was some physical abuse involved. He found a few old scars hidden on Hux’s body when they were intimate. He never asked Hux about them. 

“You micromanage too much. Your focus should be on this right now. I’m sure the ship won’t be destroyed because you take time to sleep and organize for our baby,” Ren told him already knowing his wording would irritate the General. Hux frowned at him. 

“I don’t micromanage. I do my job, Ren. If you haven’t noticed I basically have three enormous tasks at hand. I have to run this ship, make sure Starkiller base’s development is on schedule, and ready for the baby. If you would like to add a fourth item on my list, it is having to deal with you.” Ren didn’t know why Hux had to be so defensive. 

Hux’s hair was loose and hide part of his forehead. Even when tired, his loose hair was always a beautiful sight. It was a symbol of domestic bliss to Ren like there could peace between them and a future where they weren’t rivals. He knew that even here next to him Hux was still distant. He hid secrets from Ren, things that wounded him. Ren wanted to listen to Hux’s woes so Ren could share his too. 

Hux noticed Ren staring at him. He pushed a piece of his hair back behind his hair and cleared his throat. In one of Hux’s hands was a baby bottle he hadn't put away yet. Ren didn’t realize he was gawking at Hux.

“You worry too much,” Ren critiqued, a little grin threatening to appear on his lips. 

“Someone has to worry. If we are too relaxed then something will sneak up on us and break us apart.”

_ Us?  _ Ren wondered. No, Hux was just referring to the First Order. The ginger was oblivious to Ren’s advances even now. 

“I wouldn’t let anyone destroy the work we put in. The work you put in. But you still have to rest sometimes. I’m sure you’ll appreciate sleep once there’s a screaming brat here.” Hux let out a snort then quickly covered his mouth and nose with his hand as if he was caught doing something repulsive. 

“Don’t you have a meeting with Snoke?” Hux asked from behind his hand. 

He did, but he didn’t want to leave. 

“I’m going. Should I return? Perhaps for dinner?” Ren asked boldly. Hux sat up straighter. Hux’s eyes were peering to the side, unable to meet Ren’s eye. 

“I don’t know I’m not entirely hungry.”

“Not even for some tea and digestive biscuits?” Ren mocked, trying to mimic Hux’s accent. Hux raised an eyebrow at him. 

Hux turned his head and rolled his eyes. “Your sense of humor doesn’t make sense to me.” 

“Force help us if our child is as strait-laced as you.”

“Force help us if our child is as abrasive and violent as you. I won’t have another little Ren running amok,” Hux snapped right back. Ren huffed through his nose.

“I can’t imagine another little Hux running around. I picture some bratty toddler going around trying to give orders. Picture Peavey’s face at that when some baby has more authority than him,” Ren joked, feeling the stress of their situation lift from his shoulders.

Hux laughed at that, his eyes shining brighter with his smile. Hux had such a lovely smile. When he smiled you could forget he was building a mass weapon of destruction. Hux’s softened after his laugh and his eyes cast downwards. 

“What’s wrong?” Ren asked, studying Hux’s face as he grew concerned. Hux put a finger near his lips.

“We haven’t picked a name for the child. I just realized. We also haven’t decided on a surname.” 

“It will come to us.” Ren wasn’t extremely concerned with that for the moment. “The surname Ren-Hux should be sufficient.” 

“Hux-Ren,” the redhead miffed back. Ren smiled a little. “And the first name will absolutely under no circumstance be Vader or anything related to your family.” 

“Perhaps we should discuss this over dinner,” Ren insisted.

“Go to your meeting before the Supreme Leader smites us or something.” Hux wouldn’t budge. Ren gave in. He’d probably force his way into Hux’s room anyhow. It’s not like they could be private anymore. Hux had his hidden secrets and Ren wouldn’t pry him open for them, but he had to have access to Hux in ways others didn’t. He didn’t just consider their sexual interactions in that access. 

Ren removed his helmet from the coffee table and placed it back over his head. The helmet immediately turned Ren into a different man, one that made Hux’s face visibly harden at. Ren knew he hated the mask, but he had to wear it to conceal himself from others.

Hux was the only one on the Finalizer to know the fine edges of his face and the steepness of his nose. Hux knew the comical largeness of Ren’s ears and the broadness of his chest. There was an intimacy about the familiarity and not just a romantic one. 

It was somehow nice to feel like someone knew him. 

Ren headed off before his head went to his weak heart for answers (Snoke disproved of Ren thinking too much with his heart. He liked Ren’s passion, but only when it suited important tasks like defeating Skywalker). Hux was left to organize and decide where to put his new bags of baby paraphernalia. The toy Star Destroyer would remain unseen. 

Hux had more memories of Arkanis other than his destroyed natural want to interact with objects in creative ways. If his mind couldn’t create new worlds, then he’d read about them. There was very little Hux had left from his true mother. She was a kitchen woman, a “whore” or a “temptress” as Brendol and Maratelle used as if it were interchangeable with Hux’s use of “mother.”

The estate on Arkanis had books, physical paper books with leather bindings and covers with titles. Hux kept the books even though they were Maratelle’s. The woman never touched them and Hux figured she hadn’t even remembered she had certain ones in her collection. They must’ve had worth for the Hux family to keep the paper books. 

There was a fictional one Hux particularly liked. He couldn’t recall every moment in the story, but he remembered it being about an antihero of sorts who wanted to do the right thing but often found himself in difficult situations. He was a dark man, burdened by impulses, but had a good spot in his heart (Hux tried his best to not let the man remind him of Ren.) His beautiful wife wouldn’t love him and the wars he fought were bloody and brutal. Yet the antihero persisted. He let his wife live her own life so he wouldn’t be hurt by having ties with her, and he continued to fight despite the casualties and mayhem. 

Hux’s birth mother found that book for him when he was a toddler. He only remembered she touched it because she left a little drawing on one of the pages of a flower. She made the story sound like an adventure, not a massacre. Children always assumed the best of things because they didn't fully understand war. 

The man in the story stood up against the crowd. He said things that needed to be said even if they didn’t want to be heard. Young Armitage learned much about adventure and war right from an ancient piece of literature. He knew not to take the book seriously, but it was one of the only sources of excitement he had. 

The protagonist's name was on the tip of Hux’s tongue. He was agitated that he couldn’t remember it. He was irritated he couldn't remember much about the book in general. He was sure he had the book somewhere. It was one of his only keepsakes from Arkanis. He didn’t even remember how he managed to smuggle it all these years. It felt healthy, somehow, to know he had something sentimental from his childhood despite his childhood being so dreary. 

He got up and brought the bags of baby items to his bed. He had specially crafted drawers underneath the baby’s crib just for all their clothes. Perhaps he’d even look for the only paper book he remembered reading. Maybe he’d even read it to the baby one day.

Feasibly, even Ren could read it to their baby, sitting amongst leftover toys and small blankets and used baby bottles.

Hux shook his head. He hated to be so dreamy and pathetic. There was still work that had to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a comment! i love them so much!! also i may have purchased a lot of good omens stickers im... i also kinda wanna write a good omens fanfic but like oh lord do i want to do that to myself. 
> 
> hux: does the most all the time  
> ren: i did something good once so please validate me
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)


	10. Foolish Are The Children

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's time boys. babies are comin'! Where there is light, darkness will come to snuff it out...
> 
> The pacing of this chapter is a little faster than previous ones but we gotta get a move on!!
> 
> Also leave a comment i love you all!!!

Ren had a lightened feeling in his heart. The baby would be born soon and though its fate lied in the hands of his Master, Ren still had a sense of renewal and accomplishment. He had Hux’s faith and desire. He felt needed by someone who didn’t necessarily just want his power. 

Ben Solo never would have had such aspirations. He was weak and small-minded, attached to a family who only wanted him when he wasn’t there. 

Hux needed him. His baby would need him. Kylo Ren was his own person with his own family. There was nothing left in the past for him. His knights would be reunited with him eventually as well. 

For once, Kylo Ren didn’t feel so lonely. 

When Ren entered the holochamber the atmosphere immediately changed. Ren’s mood shifted from hopeful to distressed once he felt the air around him freeze. Even the Force seemed apprehensive. Snoke’s holochamber was never a place of warmth or joy, but Ren knew there was something wrong. 

The projection of Snoke appeared. The man was rubbing his chin and his eyes were riddled with displeasure. He had clearly been thinking deeply upon something. 

“You have recently found and disposed of an old student from Skywalker’s temple. You have been advancing well in your expeditions, despite the knowledge that you will have added responsibilities soon,” Snoke began. His voice echoed around the room as he spoke. 

“Yes, thank you, Master-”

“I was not finished Kylo Ren.” Ren immediately snapped up straighter to be as stiff as a board. Snoke’s eyes were gazing into him. Even from another ship, Snoke was slithering his way through Ren’s mind. Ren had always respected his Master’s influence on him, even if he was uncomfortable and unwilling.

The only secret he truly kept from Snoke was about Hux. 

Snoke plucked something from Ren’s mind like it was a low hanging fruit. 

“You’ve been distracted. Perhaps I wasn’t clear about what I want from you, my apprentice.” Ren couldn’t move. The Force was binding him in place. The air began to feel denser. “I’m aware of your… passions for General Hux. The temptations he brings you.”

Ren’s face paled and his eyes widened behind the mask. His mind raced with a million questions. Did Snoke always know? Did he think it was because of the baby? Did Hux somehow give it away?

Snoke sat back and steepled his fingers on his armrest. His wrinkled, broken face was plagued with disgust. Ren didn’t know if Snoke came from a culture of celibacy, but Snoke never explicitly discouraged Ren from bodily pleasures in his older age, just attachments.

 _Hux was an attachment,_ Ren realized. It meant he was a danger.

“Do not let your mind be weakened by some useless urge. Your place in the galaxy is on the dark side. Passion may be important, but your attachments will only destroy you. General Hux is a rabid cur. He is my General for a reason. He is ruthless, calculating, and I know he finds displeasure in  _you._ ” Ren’s heart ached but he pretended to feel nothing. “Your attachment to him will not only slow the progress of the First Order and your journey in defeating Skywalker, but it will also destroy you. You’ll be just like Ben Solo.”

Ren’s face heated up. His heartache vanished into fury as he heard those cursed names that he had banished from his subconscious.

“Ben Solo is dead. He was a soft, weak fool who had no aspirations or strengths,” Ren interjected angrily, his head suddenly feeling free enough to raise his chin higher. 

“Maybe so. You’ll have to prove it. You will end this relationship with the General. If you don’t, then there will be dire consequences,” Snoke said darkly. Ren leveled his head back down. Snoke hummed as he watched his apprentice droop his shoulders. “I am doing what’s in your best interest. The Force has shown me the aftermath of you desiring too much attention. I am not saying to abandon the child when it comes, but you will not make attachments. The child should be raised to be strong and intelligent, but it should not be your priority.” 

Attachment seemed to be the keyword for the day. To not prioritize a child sounded familiar to Kylo Ren. 

The seed of doubt was already planted in his mind and even without Snoke’s influencing words, Ren began to wonder what Hux was scheming and what he wanted to get out of him. 

Ren had no response. He was furious, heartbroken, confused, and stricken. It was too much. He worked hard, Hux didn’t realize this, but he did. He worked in seeking out those who could stop the First Order’s conquest and disposing of them, he worked in being stronger to destroy his enemies faster, and he had worked tirelessly in trying to woo Hux even if that meant throwing away his basic impulses. 

Ren figured it made sense. Hux never reciprocated his attempts at being romantic. Hux wanted his powers. Hux wanted his body. Hux just wanted to be satisfied but never give anything back. 

Ren clenched his fist tightly. 

“Yes Master,” Ren agreed. 

“Good.” Snoke paused. “I know your fury Kylo Ren. Though I tell you to be aware of the General, do not stop him from running his ship. You both can function separately as you should. I suggest now you rest and meditate upon what I have told you.”

Snoke’s holoprojection disappeared. Ren felt colder. He felt like a husk of a man. He knew hope was for imbeciles yet he let his desires get the best of him. 

He had nothing left to do than to follow his Master’s orders. He headed back to his quarters, prowling through the halls of the Finalizer as if he would strike the first living creature to come in his way.

The troopers all knew better than to be anywhere near Ren’s quarters. Once he entered his quarters, he threw his helmet down onto its pedestals and stalked off to his room. He removed his clothes until he was to his undershirt and trousers. He took a deep breath and sat crossed-legged on his bed. He had to remove Hux from his head. He had to remove it  _all_.

He would get hurt or, alternatively, Snoke would hurt him.

He steadied his breathing as he sat on his bed, letting his mind drift to a different place. The bed creaked under his weight.

He saw nothing at first. The world around him was black as if the Force was turning its back from him. He was standing upright in the darkness, clothed in black. A light blue light like starlight twinkled around him. The little cloudy blue lights moved passed Ren, floating like a stream. The blue dust collected a few feet away from Ren and built upwards in a spiral. 

The blue sparkling light formed into a cloud. It then dropped onto the floor like a pile of useless glitter. Someone had their back to Ren. His red hair stood out against his black uniform. 

Hux, it was always Hux. 

Hux was rocking his body back and forth as he stood. 

The noise came as a high pitch static at first. Ren cringed, feeling his spine shiver. The noise turned into a muffle then became clear in Ren’s ears. It was a baby’s cries. Hux was rocking a baby, shushing it back to sleep. 

Ren watched silently. Hux turned around slowly, looking down to a bundle in his arms. His eyebrows frowned and he looked distressed but he continued rocking the baby. There was a muffled voice in the background that Ren couldn’t make out. It sounded like he was underwater. The bundle in Hux’s arm had a strange blue glow around it as if the baby was attracting blue cosmoses around it. 

Hux was arguing with someone as he rocked the baby, cursing and yelling but his words could not be made out by Ren. All he could hear was the crying of the baby. 

Whatever Hux was arguing about he was red-faced about it as if he was close to sobbing. He kept looking to his baby and then taking a step back. 

The surroundings around him began to appear, but only in the vaguest images. It seemed that Hux was standing on the edge of some sort of cliff. He kept backing up, getting to close to the edge. 

“Hux,” Ren tried to call out. His voice echoed, but there was no response. Hux didn’t see him. 

Hux took another step back. The edge was only another step back. Hux held the bundle close to his chest. The blue cosmoses surrounded him and the baby like an aura. Hux looked over the edge the back down at the baby. 

Ren began walking towards Hux. As he walked, the dark void under him rippled like he was a skipping stone on water. Ren’s arm slowly raised up, his fingers splayed. “Hux, wait.” 

Hux wasn’t suicidal. No, that wasn’t Hux at all. He was a fighter, he fought for everything he had. He’d let the galaxy burn before he faced humiliation. 

But he would jump to protect his honor. He would jump even for his child. 

“Hux!” Ren yelled and got as close as he could before Hux fell backward over the edge. The way Hux fell back made it seem like he was shot.

Ren reached out his hand to grab Hux. He almost got a hold of his collar but he slipped right through his fingers.

He almost got to see the face of his baby. 

Hux didn’t meet his eyes, yet Ren could see his. They were glowing like starlight. They were so sorrowful, so distant, yet they drew Ren right in. 

Ren wanted to jump over the edge after them. 

He didn’t.

There was something absolutely wretched about it all.

 _Starlight._  The word rang in his head. He held onto that word as he watched Hux slowly plunder downwards. Hux reached upwards then disappeared into a pile of stardust. 

Ren’s chest rose and fell unsteadily, unsure what to make of the vision. Was it the future? A metaphor? A warning? Was Snoke testing to see how far his attachment went? He didn’t know. He sat down on the black plain, figuring that if he could walk on it he could sit on it too. 

He remembered his vision he had on Quirinal of the roof collapsing onto Hux. Both visions appeared to be warnings of Hux’s doom, but they both seemed like they should have ended in Hux’s death. Having two visions of death suggested that one may be false, one could be preventable, or they both could be prevented. Ren grew worrisome. He realized visions had to do with the arrival of their child. 

A blue light appeared in Ren’s sightline. He looked up to see a ball of glimmering blue cosmoses floating in front of him again. The cosmoses piled vertically mostly as they shimmered and twisted to the pull of gravity. 

“What are you?” Ren asked. The cosmoses didn’t respond. He carefully put his hand out to touch the blue dust. 

He reached into it, realizing that there was something solid inside. He didn’t know exactly what he was feeling, it felt like nothing and everything at the same time. Suddenly, he felt something beat against his hand and he quickly pulled away. 

Ren’s eyes flew open. He could hear his comlink ringing for his attention. Ren snarled and got up, snatching the comlink off his nightstand. 

“What?” Ren thundered.

“It’s Hux,” the ginger answered. He sounded hurried. Ren realized he had asked Hux for dinner and never followed up. He didn’t want to see the General again anyway. “Ren. It’s time.”

Ren narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?” 

“It’s… the baby is coming. We have to go to Quirinal,” Hux stammered. 

Ren froze.

The baby wasn’t supposed to come yet. There was an estimation of the baby’s arrival on Quirinal. The baby was early.

Ren reasoned that it was a temptation of the Force. He was supposed to dispose of Hux from his heart and the Force was giving them the thing that could keep them together. He and Hux were on a playing field they were unfamiliar with. It was a game where someone had to lose. The child would ultimately be the prize, Ren knew this, because only one of its parents was suited to have it. Snoke would not have them be distracted, at least not both of them. The Force was telling him Hux was in danger, yet he began to wonder if it wasn’t a warning but a way to show Ren he could be free of his feelings. 

He just had to let Hux fall. He just had to let the ceiling cave him above him. Ren just had to get the child. 

Hux had been worried about logistics. Ren didn’t worry about logistics. He just had to get what he needed then let the Force lead him afterward. 

It was best he cut Hux off than let the ruthless General get to him first with a knife. 

Ren swallowed hard as he answered Hux once more. He was following his orders, yet he felt like he was a traitor. He wouldn’t be hurt again by something familial. 

“The shuttle. Meet me on it. You know which one.” Ren hung up immediately. 

Trust was no new game. It was old as the Force itself. Despite this fact, he was conflicted on what to impulse follow. His instincts beckoned him to Hux, but his Master warned him of Hux’s enticing lies.

For now, he had to deliver a baby. He couldn’t consider what he wanted at the moment because he had only one choice and it was to fetch the child. 

He looked in a mirror before heading off. He put his helmet back on his head before he sulked his way to the shuttle. 

 

/////

 

General Hux was the opposite of calm. He tried to keep his face as straight as possible but his stature gave him away. He was uncharacteristically clumsy as he redressed. He wasn’t sure what to bring to the planet, but he packed extra clothes and a few of the baby items Ren gave to him. 

He looked in the mirror. He looked like a mess. He didn’t have time to slick back his hair and it made him feel strangely vulnerable. The best Hux could do is run a come through it. 

He was so tired but couldn’t bring himself to sleep. There was no time to sleep anyhow. Something was waiting for him.

He hadn’t told Ren previously, but Hux was having nightmares he couldn’t explain. He didn’t know what provoked them but they haunted him to his core. 

Some of his nightmares came from his past. Brendol would make his threats, other men would push him around when he was a cadet, but most vividly he was having nightmares about Kylo Ren. 

In his nightmares, Ren was a beast with dark eyes who hunted him like a bird in a coop. In some dreams, Hux was hiding the baby from Ren. In other dreams, Ren was violent against Hux and threatening to send him to Snoke for punishment. In other nightmares, Starkiller failed and Ren threw Hux aside to be punished and disposed of as others laughed, including Phasma and Mitaka. Hux never knew what he did to provoke Ren in these dreams. All he knew was that Ren wanted to kill him or see him suffer and fail. When he awoke, he tried his best to remember these were just nightmares and that Ren was trying to help him in the real world. 

Still, Hux could only wonder if Ren was being true to him and not playing him for a fool. 

There was one word he remembered from his nightmares. He didn’t know where the word came from, but it made him feel empty inside.

 _Starlight._  

Hux didn’t have time to consider his nightmares when something called for him so urgently. He grabbed his bags and rushed out of his quarters. He walked quickly through the corridors. As he turned a corner he almost bumped into a shiny set of chrome armor. 

Hux halted and glared at Phasma. She tilted her head at him, clearly suspicious of him.

“Excuse me, Captain,” Hux said, trying to move around her. She purposefully stepped into his path. Hux jutted his head at her, baffled by her actions. “Captain!” 

“It’s a bit late, General. Going somewhere?” She asked. 

“I have a sudden matter I have to attend to. I’ve already sent a memo on it. Now excuse me, I must be going.” She wouldn’t budge. “Captain you are acting out of line.”

“Something’s up with you ‘Tidge. You should disclose it with me.” He gritted his teeth at the use of the nickname she gave him. They were supposed to be working together- no- he was a higher rank than her and she wasn’t listening to him. 

“I do not have to disclose anything to you, Phasma. I am your superior. I will not stand for insubordination, something you push against so actively may I remind you. If you wish to know my business, take it up with the Supreme Leader,” he retorted, glaring at her mask. She stayed quiet for a moment.

He used that as an opportunity to leave. He pushed passed her and continued on his hurried journey. She turned around and watched him leave.

“Sir, if you are in trouble, perhaps I can-”

“I don’t need your assistance!” He yelled back at her, not bothering to face her again.

She was a good ally, she truly was, but she couldn’t know nor did he have the time to explain it to her. What would she think of her fearless General when he came back with a soft, squishy baby he’d have to coo over? 

He made it to the shuttle with no more distractions. Ren was already there when he arrived, sitting in the pilot seat with his helmet on. The shuttle doors closed. Hux put his bag down and looked around the shuttle.

“Where’s the pilot?” He asked.

“I’m not bringing any outsiders on such a delicate mission. I’m flying,” Ren told him, pressing buttons and pulling levers on the control panel. Ren looked back at him, the ceaseless gaze of his mask irritating the General. 

“You’re flying?” Hux wrinkled his nose. 

“Yes. Why don't you trust me, General?” Ren’s tone through his vocoder was eerie. It made Hux feel like Ren was threatening him. “Come. Sit in the co-pilot seat.” 

“Like I’d ever be your co-pilot,” Hux derided. He sat down in the co-pilot seat anyhow and buckled in. 

“No. But you are my so-called co-commander so let’s hope we may work together on this,” Ren said in a mocking tone. Hux raised an eyebrow at him. He wondered why Ren was suddenly being so snappy at him despite a few hours ago giving him baby gifts and asking him to dinner. 

He ignored Ren for now. There were much more pressing manners. Hux supposed even dark knights got nervous.

Together they flew off, leaving the Finalizer and their last moments of singularity behind them. They would no longer be alone in the galaxy. They were going to be parents, bound to a child who would need them. The question was if the child would receive the care of both parents together, or if Hux and Ren would cling to their singularity and detach themselves from one another. 

Hux looked for a distraction.

There were too many buttons on the control panel. Too many flashing lights for Hux’s eyes. He knew how to design ships and weapons yet he found himself to be irritated by the amount of flashing lights on the control panel. It seemed like an archaic way of flying to have so many lights on a small ship. TIE fighters and even X-Wings were more straightforward to command, though flying them proved to be difficult. But a shuttle should be easy to look at. Hux knew how to fly a ship, probably not in the way Ren knew, but he couldn’t stand the lights.

_Starlight._

They went into lightspeed and Hux held his breath. He wanted to take apart the ship and put it back together to make it more seamless, more efficient so there weren’t so many flashing lights and confusing options. 

It was what he wanted to do to Ren too. He wanted to take the dark knight apart and find out his components. What in his data made him tick, how could he be used more efficiently? Hux sometimes thought Ren’s powers weren’t being used properly but he did not understand the ways of the Force.

If he and Ren were to have a child, Hux wanted to know what made up Kylo Ren. Ren may have been trying to be ‘better,’ as loosely as one could define the word, but there was too much chaos riddled inside the man’s bones. The surprise factor of Kylo Ren was that he was dangerous. He could hurt anyone, including the baby and Hux, and Hux wanted to know how to keep Ren on a path he’d feel at ease about.

Ren was not a machine though, he was human. Machines were programmed to do one task and one task only. They could be reprogrammed, but their minds would still be bound to simplicity. Humans could be changed and steered to new paths. 

Hux didn’t know which was more frightening. 

Hux figured a true testament to someone’s humanity was how they reacted to children. 

Quirinal showed up as they exited lightspeed. The planet was beautiful blue and green, a clear showing of its vibrancy of current and new life. Hux could easily make out all the cities and villages as the planet was quite fond of white buildings or any stone close to whiteness. 

They landed as close as they could to the research facility. Doctor Minos was waiting there for them, along with that doctor Ren had forced to show them the room with the pod. 

There were little in the ways of formalities. Doctor Minos led them through the white halls and to a door that the couple was unfamiliar with. 

“This isn’t where the pod is,” Ren said firmly. 

“We deliver the baby out of the pod and bring it to you,” Doctor Minos instructed them. 

“I would rather see the baby be born.” 

 _It’s not exactly a birth_ Ren heard Doctor Minos think. For a woman who dealt with children, she had an odd empathy when it came to them. 

“There will be many doctors in the room. If you would like, you could stand outside the room instead. There is a little window in the door, but you can’t come in. Pod babies have to be cleaned right away and checked before handed off. The exposure to new germs can be trying but the percentage of the baby becoming ill or hurt is very low,” she explained. Ren grumbled beneath his helmet and finally agreed with waiting outside. Hux didn’t have much to say in the matter. His chest felt strange. 

They sat together awkwardly in two seats outside the door where the pod was. The chairs were too small for Ren’s humongous body and it was comical watching him try to get comfortable in it. Hux’s lean frame let him sit in the chair correctly, but his nerves made him squirm.

It all still felt unreal. Although the door did have a small window when Hux and Ren took their turns peeping in, it was hard to make out anything. Doctors and nurses were moving about the room and they couldn’t spot a baby. 

Hux eventually fell asleep. More specifically, Hux fell asleep on Ren’s shoulder as they awaited the delivery of their child. Ren allowed for the General to sleep on his shoulder because he didn’t know what else to do and rather not have a half-lucid workaholic carrying around a precious bundle of their DNA. 

Ren questioned if this was too close to fraternization for his Master. Surely, just letting the General sleep wasn’t betraying his Master’s word? He had slept with others in nonsexual manners before, namely his knights, and his knights were also associates of Snoke’s. 

Hux began muttering in his sleep. It unnerved Ren, especially as Hux began to twitch and say strange things he couldn’t make out. Ren pushed Hux’s mind to dream of better things. 

Eventually, Ren fell asleep as well while sitting upright in an uncomfortable position. He had his arms crossed and Hux’s cheek was still smushed up against his shoulder. 

Ren woke up again with a jolt, stirring the General out of his sleep. He sensed it, the change in the Force, the new light that glimmered in the galaxy. Hux groaned and sat up slowly. He rubbed his face. 

Doctor Minos exited into the hallway. She removed her face mask and smiled kindly at the men who were still waking up. Nobody could tell Ren had fallen asleep under his mask. 

“Congratulations General Hux and Lord Ren,” Doctor Minos announced with a clap of her hands, “it’s a boy!”

Ren swallowed hard and looked to his General. 

Hux’s eyes sparkled at the announcement. Hux was happy. Hux was never happy. Ren’s mouth was twisted. 

It was going to burn Ren to leave him behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! The baby has arrived sorry you gotta wait for the name but not gonna lie if you are on tumblr a lot for kylux you won't be surprised lol. 
> 
> also not gonna lie part 2: i may have started a good omens fanfiction on the side. 
> 
> confession 3: i am spending all my money on stickers please help. i love stickers.
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)


	11. Heaven's Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, more fluffiness (somewhat). I introduce baby hux-ren! also his first name prob isn't a surprise lol.

The nurse gave Hux the baby first. She carefully placed the swaddled child in Hux’s arms, showing him how to hold him correctly and safely. Hux’s eyes were fixed on the baby. Ren had never seen the General in such loving awe.

_No, Hux wasn’t loving_ , Ren tried to tell himself but it was hard to convince himself of his own thoughts. Hux’s face was just so soft as he looked at the baby. 

The nurse was probably too intimidated to hand over a baby to Kylo Ren, but it still irked Ren that Hux got to hold the baby first.

He wanted to slap himself for being so jealous. He knew it meant he loved the child already.

The baby was wrapped in a dark blue blanket. He had already been cleaned by the doctors. The baby had round rosy cheeks and light skin. Hux gently pulled down the blanket from covering the baby’s mouth to see his full face. 

The baby had his eyes closed and let out a little noise as Hux moved the blanket. He had a cute little mouth and already had few blond hairs growing on his head. It seemed that the baby was going to have Hux’s physical traits, despite genetics saying those traits should have been recessive. From what they could tell at the moment, the baby didn’t have Ren’s large ears. 

He was such a small thing and he fit perfectly against Hux’s chest. Ren could only imagine how monstrous he’d look holding something that small. 

Fortunately, Hux didn’t want him to imagine.

Somewhat bashfully, Hux looked to Ren. “Would you like to hold him?” 

Ren peered over to the nurse and doctor watching them. He felt annoyed by their vigilance despite it being their job. 

“Yes, but perhaps we could go somewhere more private?” He asked, tilting his head to the staff so they’d understand. 

Doctor Minos perked up. “Oh yes, follow me we can escort you to a private room. There’s a bed and it’s already set up for you both. I’ll grab your bag, General,” Doctor Minos informed them. She went over to pick up Hux’s belongings.

As Hux and Ren tried to rise out of their seats, the baby began to cry. Ren stood up but Hux quickly sat back down in his seat. Hux’s eyes widened. Unsure of what else to do, he began to bounce the baby and hold it tightly. It was truly a spectacle for Ren to see. 

The baby calmed down again as Hux relaxed against his seat. He looked up, unsure of what to do to proceed. It was uncharacteristic to see Hux refuse to do something because he was worried about someone else. 

“It’s alright General if you’d like we can bring a wheelchair and push you—”

“No it’s alright,” Hux replied quickly. He still wasn’t above his pride.

Hux got up more slowly. The baby sniffled and Hux _shushed_ it of all things. He wasn’t harsh about it either, he did it kindly.

_What the hell was happening?_ Ren felt he was going insane. 

They followed Doctor Minos into a small room with a bed, set up the way Ren imagined a traditional hospital would set up a new mother’s birthing room. There was a plastic bin with blankets on a cart designed to be a temporary cradle. The bed was big enough to hold him and Ren, but it would still be tightknit. The doctor ignored Ren and went right to Hux, leading him to the bed to carefully get on top of it. Ren huffed. Hux didn’t seem to realize he was laying in a bed where a mother was supposed to be. 

Ren stood beside the bed. There was a comfortable looking seat next to the bed but he found it best to stand. The baby began crying again. Hux glared up at Ren.

“Your mask is scaring him,” Hux scolded Ren. 

_You’re shitting me, he can barely see and his eyes aren’t even open_ Ren shifted his jaw. He didn’t know if he was leaning more on amused or annoyed by Hux’s sudden attitude change. 

“Leave us,” Ren instructed the doctor. She ducked out quickly, too intimidated by Ren to disagree. She’d be back, they both knew that.

Once the door was closed, Ren took off his helmet and shook his head to free his dark locks. Hux continued to bounce the baby until he stopped crying. The baby’s blue eyes were revealed through his vanishing tears. He stared right at Ren. He didn’t know what to do other than keep a straight face. 

“Come here you dolt, sit on the bed. Hold your son,” Hux told Ren. Ren felt his ears warm. Something about hearing the phrase _your son made_  Ren feel like a whole different man. Ren began to get onto the bed, too quickly for Hux’s liking. “Careful, Ren!”

Ren raised an eyebrow at him. He had never seen Hux act like this, but he assumed parenthood could quickly change anyone. Ren put his hands out. 

“I’m careful,” he promised. Hux eyed Ren wearily but slowly removed the baby from his chest to hand him off to Ren.

The baby whined as Hux’s warmth left him. Hux carefully but quickly put the baby into Ren’s large hands. Ren held his breath. His palms began to feel clammy. When the baby was against his chest, Ren suddenly felt like a wall. It was an odd thought, but he was this child’s wall. His chest would calm the baby, defend him from outside forces, and let him know that someone was there to protect him. 

Ren thought he’d never know such a warm and loving feeling, a feeling that could only be compared to a light shining down upon him like he was the chosen one. 

This was his destiny. He could scour the galaxy of its most treacherous beings to prevent them from ever coming close to his son. Skywalker would never know of the baby if he could help it. The damned man would probably think the child was some demon-sith spawn worthy of a Jedi’s ‘merciful’ blow. Leia would never know either. He wouldn’t let any pathetic, self-serving imbeciles hurt him or the child.

Ren turned his head slightly to peer at Hux. The man was utterly entranced with the child. His eyes sparkled like… like…

_Starlight._

Ren didn’t have time to decipher his visions right now. 

His son had relaxed in his arms. To Ren, most babies tended to look the same except for perhaps their skin tone, eyes, and the possible ruffle of hair. 

“The baby has your eyes,” Ren commented. Hux flushed and looked away. 

“I think he has your kind of brooding eyes. Time will tell though,” Hux teased. He moved closer to Ren. Hux watched Ren’s Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. “Too bad he doesn’t have your unfortunate ears.”

Hux reached up to push Ren’s hair behind his ears. Ren moved away from him quickly. He warned Hux harshly “Don’t!” 

Hux retracted quickly. His surprise was written on his face. He wasn’t even bothering to hide it. The baby let out a choked cry and Ren did his best to comfort him but didn’t know what else to do but copy Hux’s bouncing motions. 

Hux got off the bed and dug into his quickly put together travel bag. He pulled out one of the baby beanies Ren had purchased. The little black hat had a First Order emblem on the front. Hux carefully placed the hat on the baby’s soft head, his hands somewhat shaking as he did so. Ren was more interested in Hux’s movements than how the hat looked. 

“That should… suffice…” Hux looked as though he wanted to say more but chose not to. The baby made little gurgling noises, curious of the new object placed on his head. 

Hux gently sat back down next to Ren and they stayed together in awkward silence, just admiring the little human squirming around in Ren’s arms. Already, the baby was learning about the world around him. He was making connections, observing others and his own feelings, and learning from what he saw. More importantly, at least to Snoke it would be, the baby was tapping into the strange powers he held inside him. He tested out these pulls and pushes in the air and used it to connect to Ren. He tried with Hux and he connected with Hux, but not in the same way he could connect to Ren. 

They must have sat and watched their baby fall back asleep for a while because Doctor Minos reentered the room, this time with a datapad. 

“Hello sirs, everything well?” She asked. Ren kept his head down, not enjoying that this woman had entered suddenly while he was unmasked. She could recognize him or worse, tell others that she saw his face. 

“Everything’s fine,” Hux assured, finally averting his eyes from his baby boy. 

“I just need you both to sign the birth certificate. Also, do you have a name picked out for the child?” Doctor Minos asked, looking down to her datapad. She was pretending that she hadn’t seen Ren unmasked and kept her focus on the General.

Hux leaned forward. “Yes, we have a name.”

_We?_  Ren thought. He hadn’t picked out a name at all. He figured they could wait at least a few days to name the baby but Hux seemed ready to name the baby without his input. Ren turned his head slightly so Hux could see his raised eyebrows and wide eyes. Surprisingly, Ren didn’t feel entirely offended and he wasn’t sure why. Hux’s determined and soft face may have had something to do with him letting Hux get away with choosing the name on his own. 

“Oh wonderful, what is it?” 

“Ares. Ares Hux-Ren,” Hux told the doctor, who typed the name immediately. Ren huffed through his nose. Of course the General had to put his last name first but in all honesty, Ren was surprised Hux didn’t leave him out completely. “But keep the last name completely private. No one should have easy access to his name and ours, for privacy sake.”

“Of course, General Hux. Beautiful name. Now please sign and print your names. This will also be private and the legal certificate will be sent to both of you.” Doctor Minos put out her datapad to the two men. Hux signed his name and then the datapad was faced to Ren. 

He shifted and raised one of his hands to sign the datapad. He heard the baby make little noises as he moved. Ren wanted to stay still so Ares wouldn’t be bothered.

_Ares, Ares, Ares_  Ren’s head rang with the name of his son. He didn’t pick the name yet it stuck in him like an illness. His son was named Ares. 

Ren signed his name on the datapad then turned his attention back to his baby, letting the doctor know that she wasn’t welcome in their private little room. 

“The baby should be fed every three to four hours. You shouldn’t let him sleep five hours or longer in the first five to six weeks. We will keep you here for about a day and a half just to check and make sure he is healthy enough to leave the facility. Will you be headed back to the Finalizer afterward?” 

“Yes, we will be heading back to our ship. Should we expect a doctor to discreetly accompany us? I need an on-call pediatrician. I can’t go off the ship every time Ares needs a checkup.” 

“Yes General. I will send Doctor Nikos as your private pediatrician under the guise of being a new regular doctor. She is also certified to help you if you have any personal concerns about your health,” Doctor Minos told the General. Ren rolled his eyes. Only the galaxy could annoyingly assign the doctor he harassed when Hux and he had traveled to see the pod for the first time. Doctor Nikos was the only human doctor he knew that was aware of Ares’s existence.  

“Very good.”

“There are diapers in the blue drawer. Do you need help?—”

“No, I think I got it. Thank you Doctor Minos. We’ll call if we need you,” General Hux said politely. Ren could only wonder when Hux had time to learn to change baby diapers. Maybe he practiced on an animal. 

Ben Solo had played babysitter a few times long ago. Perhaps Ren could still remember how to do so by muscle memory. 

The doctor left them alone, promising to return in a few hours. Ren didn’t like the intrusions but knew of the necessity. Hux was placid through the whole experience. His energy in the Force was calm like a slow river. The river poured into Ares peacefully. It was a stream of life going right into a new life, comforting it and giving it promises Hux wasn’t aware he couldn’t keep.

_We are here_ ,  _we’ll protect you, we will give you the galaxy_ Hux’s river of thought ran into Ares. The baby couldn’t understand but knew his father was comforting him. 

Ren’s face twitched. Hux was thinking of too much _we, we, we_  and Ren wanted Hux to be quiet. He should stop thinking of them together. He should stop having hope. It was unlike the General.

“Hold him, will you General?” Ren said. Hux blinked and held his arms out, snapping out of his transfixion on Ares. 

“Oh, yes.” Ren gently put Ares back into Hux’s arms. Hux pulled Ares close to his chest, listening to the baby’s little noises as he figured out he had a voice. The baby scrunched up his little nose and turned his face into Hux’s chest, whining hopelessly. Hux hushed him kindly. 

“You should,” Ren cleared his throat awkwardly, “you should take off your jacket. He’ll be able to hear your heartbeat better.” Hux looked at him oddly. “You’re not force sensitive. He needs a better way to connect to you.”

“Hearing a parent’s heartbeat is the best way to connect to a baby, Kylo.” Ren’s head shot up. Hux never spoke his name so gently. He only called him Kylo when he was feeling extra peevish or wanted to provoke Ren. “You just gave me the baby. Now you want me to undress?” 

Baby Ares continued whining and pushing his face into Hux’s chest. His little fist appeared out of his blanket. Ares was already a small spitfire. Ren pretended he wasn’t absolutely in love with everything his son did.

Snoke warned him. 

“Never mind. I think he’s not looking for your heart anyway. He’s looking for your tit.”

Hux turned a bright shade of red. “Ren! Don’t be vulgar!” 

Ren chuckled. He felt good. He wasn’t supposed to, but he did. Ares stuck his fist in his mouth. Or, at least, he tried to. His accuracy still needed some work but who could blame him, he was barely a day old and didn’t understand all of what he felt. 

“It’s the truth I’m afraid. You aren’t unfamiliar with vulgarity anyway. Should I make a bottle? I see the machine on the counter is ready.”

“If he’s your son then he will surely have an appetite.” 

_My son, my son_ It was like a beautiful song that Hux sang. He didn’t enjoy how Hux said “if” Ares was his son, but Ares undoubtedly was and Hux was clearly teasing him. 

Snoke’s warning didn’t leave his mind. He didn’t know how he could let joy overcome his orders. He didn’t know how he could let Snoke overcome his joy.

Ren got off the bed to ready the baby’s milk. Ren had read up on the child’s care for Hux’s sake (he lied to himself that he only did it for Hux). 

Nothing felt real. It felt warm, but it still wasn’t real.

Ren had a baby boy. He had a baby boy who was completely unaware of his history, of Hux’s history. He was ignorant to all the galaxy’s wonder and terrors and the galaxy of entirely ignorant of him too. He was just a speck in the Force like everything else. 

With a mindful movement of the Force, Ren shielded Ares from the wandering eyes who may find him in the Force. No regular being could pick out a single star amongst the stars. Only the wayfinders of the Force could find him and Ren wanted none of them to know. 

Ren came back with the bottle and put it in Hux’s free hand. Their fingers brushed against each other as Hux took the warm milk made from formula. Hux guided the nipple of the bottle to Ares’s mouth. He was receptive and easily began drinking the formula, slurping it down quite aggressively for someone who had just been born recently. 

Hux diligently watched Ares drink. Ren kept shifting his eyes between Hux and Ares. 

“Where did you get the name Ares?” Ren asked, putting his finger near Ares’s little fist. 

“Hmm?” Hux looked up dreamily. “Oh, I got it from an old story I knew. The protagonist’s name was Ares. It’s the only meaningful name I liked. For a boy, at least.” 

“Does the name have a meaning?”

“Not particularly. But the character was brave, strong, somewhat hotheaded, and motivated by sometimes darker forces even when he meant well.” Hux removed the nipple of the bottle from Ares’s mouth when he finished. Ares protested against the lost. “Somehow, the name reminded me of his father.” 

Ren’s brows knitted into a frown. He leaned forward and kissed Hux on the side of his head to hide his whirling emotions. Hux flushed and raised an eyebrow. Despite his orders, Ren would not ruin the beautiful feelings the birth of his son gave them. 

Hux’s sentiment damaged his conscious entirely. Baby Ares looked at Ren, curious of the man who had the same power as him. His eyesight was still extremely weak, but Ares knew Ren was there. Hux rocked him to sleep, unaware of Ren’s internal conflict. 

All that mattered now was that Ares was born. He was blond and beautiful with the eyes of his fathers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment! As you can see, I enjoy the war of emotion over the wars the first order fight loll. Also I've been writing later chapters and.. yikes enjoy any fluff while you can. 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)


	12. Son of War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yikes uni is starting soon and im not mentally ready rip. the fanfic must press on. also im having a field day over the hux comic preview
> 
> cw: sexual content like more sexual than i usually write, no/minimal aftercare :(

Ares quickly let his fathers know that he would not stand for a shortage of food and attention. On Ares’s second day of life, he awoke Ren with a loud crying that forced him violently out of his nap. Ares had not mastered crying yet, but his message still got across. 

Hux was already tending to baby Ares, trying to force the nipple of a bottle into his mouth. To Ren’s surprise, Hux had unbuttoned his shirt and discarded his undershirt so Ares could better lean up against his skin. Hux was very obviously fond of his son, as he should be, yet it was odd to Ren. 

Hux noticed Ren had awakened. 

“Your turn. Take off your shirt. I haven’t slept,” Hux said. It was the least personal way Ren had heard Hux tell him to remove an article of clothing. “He needs to eat but won’t. That means it’s your turn.” 

Ren didn’t protest. He removed his top and revealed his large pecs. Hux looked to the side, ignoring Ren’s inviting chest. 

_And he said I had tits?_ Hux thought, still trying to feed Ares’s his breakfast. The baby kept crying waving his little fist around in protest. 

Hux carefully handed Ares off to Ren. Unexpectedly, Ren felt a pang of anxiety when receiving Ares’s in his arms. He had yet to hold Ares without a barrier between his chest.

Ren had caught Hux letting Ares rest against his bare skin when Ren was taking periodic naps and he couldn’t help but feel wonderstruck. 

It was another moment of intimacy that Ren didn’t know how to part with. Hux was lean and skinny but sometimes Ren could spot Hux’s little belly rolls and he very much wanted to squeeze him. 

Ares continued to whine against Ren’s chest. He bounced the baby, waiting for him to calm down before he tried to feed him. Hux leaned back against the bed. He looked exhausted but was unwilling to let Ares out of his sight. 

Ren stared down at Ares’s small, scrunched up face. He had a little red onesie on, having already grown out of his blanket. Ares was particular. He wanted to be held, not swaddled.

Ares truly looked like a son of the First Order. He was still absolutely tiny against Ren’s broad figure. Ren caught Hux considering the size difference and how _endearing_ it was. He never thought he’d catch Hux considering how enduring something was. 

Slowly, Ares began to relax. Hux was unaware of how Ren was using the Force to push Ares’s mind towards comfort. He suspected Hux was jealous of how easy Ren could calm Ares. 

Ares stared up at Ren, observing the little dots across his face. Ren took the bottle from Hux’s tiring hand and offered Ares the bottle. Ares shyly began to drink the formula, his small body tucked safely against Ren.

“You’re quite good at that, Ren,” Hux said tiredly. 

“We are connected through the Force. It’s different is all. He doesn’t have real coherent thoughts, but he is observant. He recognizes that our chest means safety.”

“Does… does he…” Hux covered his mouth for a moment, trying to find his words. “How does he… feel? You know?”

Ren raised an eyebrow. Hux looked down. He rubbed his hands together. 

“He loves you if that’s what you mean. He knows your his father.” 

Hux flushed and turned his head to the side. Hux moves down the bed to lie down properly. 

“I’m going to try to nap. We have to go back to the ship soon. Doctor Nikos has already departed for the Finalizer. I’ll have to resume my post soon Ren. Can I trust you to watch Ares while I make sure everyone is on the right track?” Hux asked. He shut his eyes and moved closer to Ren. Ren swallowed as he watched Hux cozy up to him. 

“I expect you to be there for our son,” Ren told him, his tone borderline admonishing his General. Hux didn’t notice. He was too tired and too enchanted by his baby to understand Ren. 

“I will. But I do have a ship to run. I know you’ll be off as well, but we will have to have a balance between our work lives and our son. Which means I still do have to work.” Ares whined and turned his head away from the bottle, making it aware he was finished. “Burp your son.”

Hux chose to end the conversation there. He put his lips into a tight line and adjusted her head on the pillow. 

Ren gently placed Ares down on the bed for a moment just so he could put his black tank top back on. He picked Ares back up, who happily giggled at Ren. 

Ren got off the bed and pulled his son upwards, letting him rest on vertically near his shoulder. Ares pressed his chubby cheek into Ren, gurgling. 

He threw a towel over his shoulder and began to pat Ares’s back. Ares tested his voice, making noises as Ren patted his back and sent vibrations through his small body. Ren smiled softly. 

It was too good to be true. He had his small son in his hands and Hux sleeping on the bed. Granted, Hux wasn’t sleeping very graciously. His face was smashed up against the pillow and his body was sprawled out as he rested on his side. His shirt was still unbuttoned. 

Ares burped. He didn’t throw up this time, which was also good. 

The door suddenly opened. Ren looked over his shoulder, his eyes filled with disgust. He didn’t like intruders in the small bubble of peace he created where he was away from the outside world. There was no Skywalker, no wars, no needed time on starships, and no Snoke. It was just him, Hux, and Ares.

And it’s all he needed. There was more he wanted, but if he could just have his little family he would find peace.

There would be no peace though. Not until Ren destroyed all that opposed him. 

Prince Himero stood in the doorway. He was smiling and holding a basket in one hand and an infant carrier in the other. It was one of the last people Ren wanted to see. He noticed Himero’s eyes wander to Hux’s sleeping, unbuttoned form before looking at Ren and then finally the baby. Ren adjusted Ares on his side.  

“Lord Ren, I didn’t mean to catch you when General Hux was asleep. I wanted to congratulate you both on your new arrival. I’ve brought gifts for the dear baby,” Prince Himero said gleefully, walking into the room and letting the door shut behind him. He wore an elegant white suit with a green cape hanging off the side of his shoulder. 

“Thanks,” Ren said resentfully. He walked in front of the bed to somewhat impede Himero’s view of Hux. 

Himero put down the baby carrier and the basket on the floor. He kept smiling at Ren and Ren just wanted to wipe that infernal grin off his lips. Himero had no place among them. 

“What a beautiful child! What’s his name?” Himero tilted his head, trying to get a better look. 

“Ares.” 

“Curious name, but fitting.” Ren imagined how quietly he could break every bone in Himero’s body without waking Hux. Ren had nothing left to say to the prince. The prince hummed. “May I hold him?”

“I would prefer that you didn’t.” 

Himero narrowed his eyes and chuckled. 

“Protective father aren’t you?” Himero’s eyes shifted around. “Well, it’s been an honor having you both here. First time parenting can be difficult, so I wish you both the best of luck.” 

Ares began to breathe heavily, readying to cry. Ren rubbed his back. Hux stirred slightly. 

“I don’t need your luck.”

“Ah. Well, maybe you don’t.” Ren side-eyed Prince Himero. There was a lull in the conversation. Ren didn’t want it to continue but Himero kept shifting his jaw about. “I’ll leave you to it but if you need anything don’t be afraid to call. Long live the Supreme Leader.”

Himero turned on his heel and headed out. When he reached the door he snuck one last look over his shoulder then saw his way out. Ren cautiously eyes Himero’s gifts which were left on the floor. 

He felt the Force move unsteadily. 

“I think it’s time to get back on the Finalizer. Let’s wake up Hux,” he told Ares. He pressed his large nose into the side of Ares’s head, questioning to himself if he should kiss the baby’s head or if that was punishable.

He’d take the punishment. 

 

/////

 

The Finalizer was running smoothly, just as they left it. They arrived late in the gamma shift to avoid any accidental bump ins, but Ren’s powers naturally helped with hiding away from others. Hux was holding Ares in the baby carrier Himero had brought them. Ares was fast asleep and his parents were the most awake they had ever been. Hux took every creak of the Finalizer as someone trying to catch him in a compromising position. 

They made it to Hux’s quarters without disruptions. Hux’s face twisted with uncertainty as he realized that Ares was entering a world without earth to walk on. His ship felt less homey with a baby on it. He’d get used to it. 

Ren hadn’t fully considered how small Hux’s chambers were now that his baby was in the room. Hux had better chambers that his subordinates but he feared it wasn’t enough. Hux put down the baby carrier and removed his shoes, rubbing his feet afterward. 

“So here we are,” Hux said offhandedly. He rolled and cracked his neck. Having to share that small bed with Ren on Quirinal was taxing on his already tired body. 

“Should we let Ares stay in your room?” Ren asked. Hux raised an eyebrow at him.

“In comparison to your room? Yes.” Ren frowned at him. He didn’t understand Hux’s need to question him constantly like he was an idiot. “I know it’s not much but it’s all we have. None of our warships are equipped for family living. Hence, that’s why they are warships so you aren’t endangering families.”

“Maybe you should design another warship.” 

Hux paused and gave Ren a quizzical look. “Ren. We just had a son. I’m still working on Starkiller Base. I’m in charge of this ship. Thank you for considering me in such an ambitious project but for once, I’m not so sure I can make the time.” 

“What if it’s ordered of you?” Hux shook his head in annoyance and unclipped the hood of the baby carrier. He pushed back the cover to reveal the sleeping child inside. He carefully lifted Ares out of the carrier and against his chest.

“I will obey orders, but I will not compromise what’s already here.” Hux rubbed Ares’ back. “You have no authority over me so I don’t know why you are asking. Why do you have to do this?”

Ren’s eyebrow twitched. “Do what?”

“Ruin the peace between us.”

“Why do you?” Ren said back, drawing in a slow breath. He knew it was childish but couldn’t help it.

“I am not doing anything. I am just holding my baby.” Hux’s tone was careful as he spoke to Ren. He kept his eyes on Ares. “But now that you mention it, I do have a duty to retain order. And create peace so that Ares won’t have to work as much as me. I think I should try to rest and catch up on work. You may stay. For Ares’ sake.”

Hux was sure to emphasize that he could only stay for Ares. Ren clenched his jaw and fought the urge to bite back at Hux’s sudden impudence. Hux stalked into his chambers. He placed Ares for the first time into his crib. The mattress and streets were already set out for him, ready to finally feel the touch of an infant. Hux sneakily smiled at Ares. His datapad was right where he left it. Hux stripped into his briefs and undershirt and put on his robe. He didn’t care that Ren was sulking in the other room, quizzically trying to understand Hux or at least grasp at him.

He didn’t need Ren pretending he was intelligible in the esoteric topics such as warship engineering or childcare. He just needed Ren to be with him. 

Hux opened his datapad to see messages upon messages, inquiring him about Starkiller Base and utter stupidity and where he was. A lot of messages to him ended in a variety of ways to ask about his sudden disappearance. There was a message from Phasma saying that she assured that all the rumors had been shut down. He was grateful for her loyalty despite how he had to push away her from anything close to resembling friendship. 

He sent her a message back, thanking her. He then proceeded to send various work-related messages, confirming budgets and fixing simple mistakes. Ren could tell him all he wanted about micromanaging, his ship needed him and that would not change. 

Ares began to fuss. Hux figured Ares was due for a feeding. Hux looked up from his datapad, only to see Ren swooping through the door like a comical, caped villain. His walk was a bit aggressive for someone who just wanted to tend to his child. Ren gently removed Ares from his crib and put him up against his chest. Ares continued to cry. 

“He’s hungry,” Ren stated. 

“Yes. Would you make a bottle? I put the baby bottle warmer in my kitchenette. There is enough formula for a while. Thank you, by the way, for the trip you have taken to retrieve these necessities,” Hux thanked sincerely. Ren felt his cheeks warm. He hated that he knew Hux was so thankful for Ren’s involvement and secrecy. 

“Of course. He needs it.” Ren looked down to Ares’ scrunched up face, demanding to be fed and looked after. “I’ll make the bottle but you should feed him. It is good to bond. You don’t—”

“—have the Force I know,” Hux finished with a sneer. Ares fussed harder. Hux’s face softened. “I will feed him. Give him here and make your bottle.” 

Hux put his datapad back on the bedside table and opened up his arms. He looked like a spoiled wife of a rich husband sitting there in his robes and socks. Ren put the baby into Hux’s arms. Ares continued to cry but his cries weren’t as violent as Hux patiently rocked Ares back and forth. Ren went off to the kitchenette to make the baby bottle.

As he prepared the bottle he noticed a bottle holder sitting on the counter. It had four prongs and was a sleek black. Four bottles were there waiting to be used. Ren hadn’t bought him a bottle holder.

Ren concluded that it was proof of Hux readying for Ares. He didn’t know why he was critiquing every bit of Hux’s life. Hux had a mission and, as he said, he would carry out the orders. 

When the bottle was ready, Ren handed it over to Hux. Hux had let his robe loose so the sleeves had fallen to reveal his shoulders and more of his upper body. Ren had seen the General naked yet this was far more personal. 

Ares eagerly suckled on his milk, quieting down the moment the nipple of the bottle was near his mouth. Ren took off his shoes, removed his helmet from his head, and crawled onto Hux’s bed. The bed had more space for the two of them. They were both sat upright against the headboard as they watched their son drink. 

“Ren?” Hux asked, his soft gentle.

“Yes?”

“I… I know this is a sudden change and it won’t be easy but it would be a lot to me if you could stay here. As much as you could. It would be healthy for Ares to be surrounded by both parents and we both know we work. I just want to give him something I never had.”

Ren was crossing in treacherous waters. Hux was opening up to him, perhaps in a moment of weakness out of his fondness for Ares. Hux never discussed his personal life. Ren never forced it out. He knew even the brave, ambitious General had darkness clinging to his mind. 

“What would that be?”

“A family. Someone who looked out for him and cared enough to know he was a gift and not a curse.”

It was the most sentimental sentence the General most likely had ever spoken. He was unsure if he could fester the courage, shamelessness, and adoration to ever speak like that again.

Ren very much wanted to kiss him. He wanted to do more than kiss the General, he wanted to ravish him and make him feel like he wanted more out of his life than orders and schematics. 

It would be much more difficult to have Hux with a baby around that needed them both. Perhaps it is a sacrifice Ren would make for the time being.

It would also be difficult for Ren to have his tempting thoughts without the thought right afterward being of Snoke’s warning. 

“I’ve been… having dreams. Sometimes I forget them but they concern and confuse me,” Hux admitted. Ren was not going to stop an opportunity to learn about the General. “But since Ares was born, I haven’t been having them. Is that a good sign or am I entering a false sense of security?” 

“Depends what the dreams are about.” 

“You.” Ren’s eyes went wide. “It’s always about you.” 

“What am I doing in these dreams?” Ren asked though he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer. 

“Everything,” Hux said vaguely, looking up to Ren. “You are a dream and a nightmare simultaneously and it worries me. I shouldn’t fret, I just was probably anxious over the baby. I don’t know why I disclosed that to you.” 

Hux was retreating into his shell, embarrassed about opening up to Ren. 

Ren recalled Hux falling off the edge holding the baby in his arms with no one to catch him. He wondered if he had dreamed about that moment. Ren began to wonder if he wasn’t seeing visions of the future but instead was seeing Hux’s nightmares. There was no way of telling. 

“It’s fine. I like talking to you.” _Snoke will not be happy._

Hux flushed and began to stammer. “I’m glad that you do. It will make this whole process easier. Communication and all.” 

Ares finished his bottle and Hux put the baby on his shoulder to burp him. Ren put a towel on Hux’s shoulder. When Ares was done, he made it obvious he was ready to sleep again. Hux handed Ares to Ren so Ren could put him to sleep. Ren pretended not to see Hux’s loving eyes watch Ares leave his arms.

Once Ares was put back into his crib, snug as a bug, Hux tucked himself close to Ren. Ren eyes him, feeling his face warm. 

“Our child is here,” he told Hux.

“I know I’m not doing anything obscene,” Hux said, following his statement up by moving his face close to Ren. Hux kissed him. 

His kiss was gentle, experimental almost, like a teenager testing his boundaries and capabilities. Ren and Hux didn’t kiss often. It was best to leave their sexual activities as just that. They certainly didn’t _make love_ as some hopeless romantics would put it. Their session on Canto Bight did feel different though. It felt more personal, more possessive, and less about their pent up energy. 

He didn’t know if his relationship with the Force made him religious, but certainly, Hux thought it was. For Hux’s sake, Ren prayed for forgiveness from whatever sin he was committing for giving himself to Hux willingly. This would be the last and then his Master would see that Ren was loyal and without attachments. Ren was surprised by Hux’s sudden willingness to let Ren open a crack. Hux was a door, usually closed and locked, but now Hux has opened a crack just so Ren could peer in. 

Ren didn’t know if he’d find light or darkness behind that door. Whatever was behind that door, Snoke wanted him to stay away from it. 

Ren deepened the kiss. This would be his last dessert before he was starved from affections. Hux let out a little moan as Ren held the side of Hux’s head. He pulled Hux closer to him, making Hux put one leg around Ren’s side. 

Hux opened his mouth to let Ren in more. Ren was happy to explore the warmth of Hux’s mouth. Ren’s sly hand moved down to grope Hux’s buttocks. Hux sighed and pulled away from Ren’s mouth, looking into his eyes. Ren stopped groping him but kept his hand on Hux. 

“I should take a shower.”

“The General has water? How spoiled,” Ren teased. He tried to kiss Hux again but the General put his hand on Ren’s lips. 

“I deserve hot water with what I put up with. Let me up.” Ren rolled his eyes and removed his hand from Hux. Hux got up and removed his bathrobe. “I’ll be waiting in the refresher.”

Hux walked off. It took Ren a moment to realize what Hux meant. He sprang up from his bed, already hearing the water run. Damn Hux and alluring ways. Ren managed to strip down to his briefs by the time he entered the refresher, a trail of clothing left behind as evidence of his lust.

Ren went in without knocking, his underwear gone.

It ended up as it always did for them: in either a pit of fury or a pit of lust. Ren had wasted no time getting into the shower and pressing himself up against Hux, pushing him into the wall. Hux put his arms around Ren’s back, furiously kissing the taller, broader man to let himself be known. 

The water rained down Ren’s back, dripping down him and discovering the divets of Ren’s back. Hux could feel the warm water splash onto his hands and he gripped in Ren’s wet flesh. Ren’s fingers found their spot between Hux’s cheeks, pressing in like a foreign invader. Hux sharply took a breath in but continued to nip at Ren’s neck. 

The room was steamy and caused Hux to gasp more in desperation as he searched for cool air. The wall behind him was cool, but Ren assured Hux that the only comfort and pleasure Hux would find was in his kisses and on his cock. 

Ren got Hux up against the wall, hoisting the redhead around his waist so he could plunge into Hux. Hux let out a loud whine as Ren pushed in. Ren groaned as Hux dug his nails into his back. He gripped Hux harder in reply. 

Hux was so helpless against Ren. Ren thrust into Hux, giving the General no opportunity to control himself or the situation. Ren theorized that Hux loved to be held down and given pleasure by others. To be a General without having to control everything must have felt euphoric. He didn’t have to do all the work for once. Ren was the opposite. The more powerful he felt, the better. Ren was happy to use him. 

They’d be a match made in heaven if it was permitted. 

“Ren,” Hux moaned, his skin flushed red everywhere. Ren swallowed hard and continued to push in and out. Hux didn’t know if he hated or loved the force of him being pushed up and down against the wall. Ren’s wet hair added to Hux’s excitement. He looked viciously handsome. 

“Shut up Hux,” Ren breath out, putting his nose near Hux’s neck. He didn’t want Hux to make it so personal. It was dangerous.

Maybe Ren liked the danger. To balance at the edge of a cliff was exhilarating. At any moment, his entire world could be destroyed. To know he could still have simple pleasures at the edge of danger somehow made the pleasures even better. 

“Kylo!” Hux yelled, grabbing Ren by the face. Ren stopped thrusting for a moment, holding Hux up just from his sheer strength. Hux’s cock twitched as he noticed Ren’s strength. Hux was breathing hard against Ren’s lips.

“What?” Ren panted out, somewhat annoyed Hux wanted him to stop.

Hux's had an ethereal beauty to it. His eyes were filled with passion, his skin flushed, and his hair wet and disheveled. Ren was careful not to slip or let his cock free. 

Hux’s hand gently felt Ren’s face. “We are parents.”

“This isn’t a conversation to have right now.” 

Ren realized through the water raining down that Hux’s eyes were wet. 

He was happy. 

“You’re a daddy.” Hux’s tone suggested joy and not an underlying sexual implication but it still caught Ren off guard. 

“Shut up Hux,” Ren pushed Hux back up against the wall. Hux wasn’t thinking clearly. He was mixing up his passion for love. Ren began thrusting into him with vigor. Hux whined and gripped onto Ren again. 

“Ren, Ren,” Hux pleaded, still trying to look at Ren’s face. “Look at me, please.” 

_I can’t. I want to but I can’t._ Ren didn’t want to dive off the cliff head first. 

Hux wanted him, needed more from him, and Ren had to keep away. He knew he was testing himself already. 

“Remember when you said I was yours?” Ren adjusted to get a better angle at Hux’s sweet spot, hoping it would shut him up. Hux whined loudly and shut his eyes for a moment as the feeling overwhelmed him.

_Hux please don’t make this difficult. Why are you choosing now as the time to be vulnerable to me?_ Ren couldn’t get that many words out to Hux. All he could do was let out a grunt and try to get his emotions out through how he invaded Hux, how he grabbed him, and how rough he was. 

“I think it’s more like your mine now,” Hux stammered put between gasps and breaths. Ren couldn’t take it anymore and released him into Hux, a low sound like a beast’s growl escaping his throat. He gently bit into the side of Hux’s neck as he came. Hux followed quickly after. 

Ren rested up against Hux as he slowly regained his breath. Hux was doing the same as he tried to recover from being held up and fucked by someone so strong. Hux’s lips searched for Ren’s. He was still too bewildered to function properly. He’d never admit it but Ren’s dick was magical. 

Ren turned his face away from Hux’s lips. Hux ended up planting a gentle kiss on Ren’s cheek.

This was how Ren would be careful enough not to fall over the edge. 

Ren pulled out, warning an airy breath from Hux. Hux’s legs felt weak as he touched the ground. He held onto Ren as he tried to regain his balance. 

Ren got out of the shower and began to dry himself off. 

“I’m going to bed,” he told Hux, avoiding eye contact with the General. Hux blinked blankly.

“Oh. Alright,” Hux answered, trying to hide his confusion. Ren didn’t entertain Hux with a smile as he left. He just left, his hair still dripping wet. 

It was about Hux, it had always been about Hux. Ren’s mind ran with thoughts of Hux and memories, and he always thought Hux could have been the piece to complete him. Snoke was right, they were two sides of the spectrum and should have balanced out perfectly. They had their middleman now, their son who would embody them both. There was no more time for formalities. There was only time for Ares.

Their son would be surrounded by war no doubt. There was no point in forcing him to witness a war between his parents when Snoke punished them for being creatures of passion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed cause it's very evident the angst has truly begun. also wtf hux and kylo r kinda good parents yeah right. Leave a comment and a kudos!!! thanks!
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Follow me on [twitter @truemoongoddess](https://twitter.com/truemoongoddess) even though I dont do jack


	13. What's Mine is Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i posted early! im going to be starting school so idk what my updating schedule will look like but thank you to everyone who is reading this! i do have some chapters already written ahead of time but im more worried of having to keep up later but we'll see!  
> also THE HUX COMIC our thirst has been slightly quenched.

Hux wouldn’t say that normalcy was restored. Hux’s life was far from normal. He was the General of the warship the Finalizer, he was in charge of a large weapon project, and he had a direct line to a Supreme Leader (who had been oddly quiet lately). There was no normalcy in the fact that he was the father to a baby made in a lab who had half of his DNA come from a ravenous force user. The only normal thing that was happening a week after the birth of his son was that the Finalizer was still running and functional. 

He sensed that people were still curious about his sudden disappearances but they did not question his busy schedule. He was always busy. The only difference in his schedule was that instead of business calls, he was answering the calls of his child. 

While everything was seemingly in order, Hux knew there were still too many questioning eyes. Namely, he noticed Phasma’s sudden interest in his whereabouts. He was unsure if she was concerned about him or if she was probing for weaknesses. Hux wasn’t going to take a chance on anybody. Ares was a secret and in four years time, nobody would see him anyhow.

The thought sat heavily in Hux’s heart. He knew what the result of all his work would be yet he let himself feel hopeful. He thought that maybe he could convince Snoke that he’d be a worthy adversary in raising the child and in giving him a proper education until he was fully grown. 

It was best not to hold such desires, Hux concluded. The ship was unfit for Ares anyhow. 

Ren had a point when he said he should create a new ship just for Ares. 

He wasn’t sure four years would be enough for Hux. He hated weakness, weakness was a curse on his soul, yet he was letting Ares get in his head. He didn’t know how he became so vulnerable, so willing to fight for the right just to hold a baby for a little longer. This wasn’t the Hux way, this wasn’t the way he was used to—

“Sir?” Mitaka’s voice asked gently. Ah, another person whose eyes still wondered about what Hux was hiding. 

“Yes, Lieutenant?” Hux recently found himself dreaming half the day. He dreamed of Starkiller and the expansion of the First Order and, more importantly, how to give Ares the best chance of life. He had to remind himself to not make decisions based on the needs of one child. There were many children in the galaxy. He wasn't special.

“You’ve been distant recently,” Mitaka said softly. Hux frowned at the strangely insubordinate Lieutenant.

“Excuse me, Lieutenant?” Hux’s voice was raised slightly. People pretended they didn’t hear him.

“I’m sorry sir, I didn’t mean to speak out of line, it just came out of me,” Mitaka blabbered nervously. Hux rolled his eyes and turned back. “I meant to say that Snoke requested to see you and Lord Ren.”

Ah, there it was. The Supreme Leader has finally found the words he wanted to say when congratulating them on his hellspawn (Hux cared for Ares, but he was not naive enough to think Snoke would lose his interest in the child). 

“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Hux did feel guilty over leaving his station so frequently. He also feared his strange disappearances would cause others to undermine his authority or find it appealing and justifiable to entirely rip Hux of his status. 

“Sir,” Mitaka said quietly. Hux noted to later admonish Mitaka for having a gentle tone constantly. “If you would like, I am thinking of having a nicer dinner ordered. Would you care to join me?”

Mitaka was trying to corner him. Hux admired his effort. It was like a small mouse up against a cat. The mouse thought he could reverse their roles but nature will always have the larger predator obtain the most dominance. 

“What’s the occasion?” Hux asked. He wasn’t entirely paying attention.

“Oh, no occasion sir! It’s just we hadn’t talked much since Canto Bight. You know when that young lady cleared out our pockets.” Mitaka cracked an awkward smile. “My mother recently sent me some tea packets from Batuu. Perhaps you’d like to try them?”

Hux rose an eyebrow at the strangely adamant lieutenant. Mitaka and he never spent time together outside of work. The only person Hux saw outside of work was Ren and, occasionally, Captain Phasma. Those were both strange circumstances that were the closest relationships Hux had that let him feel comfortable enough to see someone outside of work. Even then, time not working with Phasma and Ren still had an element of work to it. 

“Perhaps. I’m not sure about today though, Lieutenant. The Supreme Leader may require my attention for an extended time but don’t wait up for me.” Hux did care about his officers, they were the blood and sweat behind the First Order, but he was already compromised enough. He was sure Mitaka had no ill will towards him, but Hux still needed to set his boundaries.

Mitaka’s face faltered. “I understand.”

Hux genuinely felt bad for turning Mitaka down. He was a sweet, loyal man. Hux knew how intelligent he was as well. He graduated top of his Academy class to be placed on the Finalizer. He was an asset and a rare genial one. 

Hux knew an asset like Mitaka would be more kind and patient towards him, unlike Ren and the Supreme Leader. 

Hux had noticed Ren was acting a bit strange lately, more so than usual. Granted, the knight was quite unpredictable and moody so it was nothing new. He had been willing to spend all hours with the baby as Hux worked. The prospect of leaving Ren alone with Ares made him squimish but he knew he had to trust Ren and let him father his child. That and Ren disliked the idea of a droid looking after Ares. Hux found it peculiar Ren hadn't been summoned by Snoke up until today. 

Hux didn’t like how everyone stared at him as he left the bridge. They had no right to wonder or question about his doings. It would be dishonest of him to say he wasn’t annoyed about the secrecy of his mission. He couldn’t let anyone know about Ares yet felt like keeping his son a secret would worsen the situation. One day, Hux hoped, Ares would have a safe place in the galaxy Ren and him made.

Ren was already in the holochamber when Hux arrived. He was masked and was holding Ares against his chest. The baby was wrapped in a blanket but squirmed furiously. Hux figured Ren woke him from his nap to come to see the Supreme Leader. Hux knew Snoke  _ had  _ to see the baby but it still angered him that Ren brought Ares to such a cold, dangerous place. 

Snoke’s holoprojection appeared as soon as Hux entered the room. The Supreme Leader kept his face neutral. He immediately took notice of Ares but acted as if the boy did not spike his interest.

“I see the child is healthy,” Snoke observed casually. Hux felt his anxiety spike suddenly as if warning signals in his body were going off. He tried his best not to glance at Ares. He scratched the side of his arm as he tucked them professionally behind his back. 

“Yes Supreme Leader. We have been looking after Ares while we continue our respective work. Starkiller’s development is still progressing quite timely despite my absence—” Hux noticed how Snoke shook his head and he shut his mouth immediately.

“Your work is important but this is not what I’m here to discuss with you at the moment,” Snoke informed them.  

Ren adjusted Ares in his arms, attempting to hide his discomfort. Hux knew why the situation was uncomfortable yet didn’t understand Ren simultaneously. He didn’t seem confident in himself. Hux continued to have the temptation to look over at Ren and Ares. He reasoned that it was natural for him to want to check up on his baby, but another part of him worried that by showing too much of a vested interest in his son would make the Supreme Leader suspicious of him. 

“Ares. What a peculiar name,” Snoke commented. It somehow felt threatening. “He will make a wondrous Knight Of Ren in the future. I can feel his presence in the Force.” 

Hux felt his jaw twitch. There was a small dream he had that perhaps Ares would take a more political role, maybe even learn to be an engineer, but he knew his stupid ideas would be shot down so Ares could serve some higher authority. 

Hux didn’t notice how Snoke’s eyes meticulously flicked towards him. Ren kept silent. Ares did not follow in Ren’s demeanor. He continued to fuss in Ren’s arms. 

“The child appears upset.” Snoke seemed disappointed suddenly. Hux couldn’t contain himself any longer.

“He’s tired, give him here Ren.” Hux had never let himself be so worried and out of turn in front of the Supreme Leader. He put his arms out for Ren to hand over the baby. Behind his mask, Ren’s eyes were wide. 

Ren didn’t budge. He instead looked to his Master. Hux felt his stomach churn.

“Go on, hand the child over. I must speak to you privately afterward. It is best if the General take the infant for now.” He didn’t like the idea of being left with Snoke after the strange alien had just met Ares. 

Ren handed Ares over reluctantly. Hux was less than reluctant when it came to taking Ares back. Hux didn’t even notice his urgency. Hux bounced Ares, his eyes looking back and forth between the Supreme Leader and his baby. 

They tensely spoke about the recent course of First Order events and expectations. No matter how professional and lax the conversation appeared, the two commanders felt the tension in the room rise with every movement and word that left the Supreme Leader’s mouth. Ares relaxed occasionally but continued to be his curious young self. 

Kylo Ren brought up the idea of another starship. Snoke was suspicious of Ren’s sudden interest in starships and the First Order’s affairs. 

“Did you discuss this with General Hux?” Snoke questioned.

“Yes.” Ren seemed uncertain of himself. Snoke looked to Hux.

“Was this your idea?”

“No, Supreme Leader, Ren thought about it first. I am not opposed to the aspect of another ship. Though we are building Starkiller right now, we have the budget to perhaps make another ship. There are also several planets we are interested in visiting which could help with the cost,” Hux explained, adjusting Ares in his hands as he did. Ares was trying to sleep again.

“Have you piqued my apprentice's interest in politics suddenly?” Snoke smiled fakely. Hux tried to keep his voice even. 

“We are co-commanders. Ren wishes for the prosperity of the First Order, as most would. He suggested a new starship as a device to not only quicken our security over the galaxy but to have a safer place to raise the child as we are suspended in space.”

“So you are speaking on Kylo Ren’s behalf now?” Hux strongly disliked the sudden stream of questions. It felt like an interrogation. 

“Er. No, Supreme Leader. I’m just projecting what I feel is best and what I interpret from Ren’s statements.” Hux hung his head as he felt as though he was being caught in a lie and embarrassing himself. 

“Ah, I see.” Snoke sighed. Ares began to cry and Snoke cringed slightly at the noise. Ares couldn’t get comfortable. His father’s heartbeat was rapid and the weird blue projection bothered him. “If you discuss this with High Command, I have no objections. You are dismissed General, I suggest caring for the child in your chambers. My apprentice and I still have to discuss some matters.”

Hux snuck an uncertain glance at Ren before leaving with Ares, who stopped crying but made upset noises. He liked how his father rubbed his back and held him close. He didn’t know why his father was troubled. 

Hux was gone. Ren’s co-commander and son were out of his sight. The only thing left in front of him was his Master who was surrounded by an unnatural blue hue. 

No matter the news or the task he was given, Ren knew to be alone with Snoke was never good. The Supreme Leader could have been merely giving Ren another planet to visit and observe, but it still worried Ren. Every time he left Hux he felt like it made him a little weaker even if the mission afterward strengthened. Now that Ares was in the picture, he could only assume how difficult it would be to leave. 

“The new task you’ve been handed will give you quite a difficult journey ahead.” Snoke’s tone was cold. 

“I will not fail you or the child,” Ren assured. 

“Yet you continue to test the waters.” Ren wanted to defend himself but shut his mouth. Snoke curled his crooked lip in disgust. “I warned you about General Hux. You were not to form a relationship with that man.”

“We have no relationship. We have a child together so we found it best to work together,” Ren tried to explain but he knew that Snoke was aware he was talking out of his ass. It was somewhat true. Ren and Hux were not committed to each other or dating. 

“You speak too earnestly. You cannot hide what haunts your mind from me. I suspect the General finds your flaws despicable for fatherhood.”

_ That can’t be true _ , Ren thought. He had been working hard when it came to his attitude. He felt fury rising despite his self-reflection. In retrospect, Hux could have just been viewing Ren’s attitude change as an opportunity to make the parenting process simpler. It didn’t mean Hux thought Ren as trustworthy.

“I want to be there for the child.” Ren was careful not to say ‘my son.’ He was aware that revealing that he had an attachment to Ares would disappoint his Master. Ares was an  _ assignment,  _ not his family. 

“You will and you have to be. The child needs someone with a dark energy in the Force around him. General Hux may know how to persuade and educate others, but there are still areas in his mind and soul that are empty and weak.” 

“Yes, Master.”

“In a standard month, I want you and General Hux on the Supremacy with the child. I would like to see you all personally.” Ren made a fist close to his side. “The Knights of Ren will come.” Ren’s headshot upwards in interest. “They will see the child and bless him with gifts from their travels. Some of the devices may be more practical to you than the child, but I informed them to seek out whatever they see fit. Think of it as a surprise gathering.”

Ren wondered if this was the Supreme Leader’s strange way of throwing a baby shower. Snoke wasn’t capable of enjoying parties, though he did enjoy some luxuries.  _ The luxuries of the Force _ , he had told a young Ren,  _ is far more valuable than any jewel, any planet, or any person _ . 

“The General has been worried about being off-ship frequently.”

“Do you believe he is too incapacitated for this?”

“No,” Ren said firmly. He wasn’t supposed to be close to Hux, but he was aware of the man’s capabilities. “It’s more so an issue of the crew. They are most loyal but I sense their minds are curious, as most people become.”

His assumption of loyalty wasn’t as true as he wished it would be. He knew plenty of people would like to see him and Hux dead. 

“I see. Correct them if you must. Leave most of that to General Hux. He knows how to get his way over those with lesser minds.” Snoke made Hux sound like a manipulative, tactical mastermind. To an extent, it was true. But Ren knew Hux was prone to emotional weakness just like any other person. “Watch after the child. But do not be distracted. You’ll realize your mistake soon enough.”

“Yes, Master.” It was a threat. Ren only knew to accept it. 

“Your potential can only be matched by your willingness to hone it. You desire to rise like Vader but not fall to the ashes. The dark side is in your blood, and it is in your son’s blood. Pray you don’t fall victim to the weak emotions that are sweltering in your soul.” Snoke’s voice was dark and deep. In Ren’s mind, his voice felt like bubbling tar, dangerous and black. “You can fail me only so many times, but I am patient because I see what lies ahead and it is written in blood and glory. You will outgrow this feeling, maybe even by force. You are still a child. You must stop being a  _ child  _ if you want your own to grow without reliving your mistakes.”

Ren’s eyes twitched. He didn’t like being talked down to. He was used to it, sure, but it made him boil all the same. 

“I will not disappoint.” Ren bowed his head.

“For your son’s sake, you best not. General Hux, despite his nature, already has shown he is capable of adapting to change. Let’s see you do so as well and leave behind what you crave.” Snoke’s holoprojection disappeared. Ren’s body trembled slightly as he stared at the ground.

He was being foolish. He knew that. Hux was a distraction, he was dangerous. Ren had to hone his focus back on what mattered. Ares mattered, but he had no future in a galaxy where Jedi would come for him and where Leia Organa’s goons would hate or pity his soul. 

Snoke had not punished him yet, at least not physically with the Force. When Ren got too unruly Snoke would shock him with his lightning or send him into mental anarchy. 

He wondered when he would fully regret knowing the General. No matter how much Snoke warned, Ren continued to be haunted by Hux’s glowing soul that was like starlight and his bright red hair. 

When Ren returned to Hux’s suite, he wordlessly took Ares from Hux. Hux blinked but took that as his opportunity to head back to work. Ren was brooding but that wasn’t odd. He found it concerned that Ren didn’t look at him though. 

Hux couldn’t walk back onto the bridge without bumping into Phasma. He wondered if the chrome woman was following him. 

He was growing frustrated with her. They had been arguing more often, though they tended to disagree on military tactics in the first place. She found her methods, like Ren’s, to be wasteful and self-preserving. She was a good leader, but she was selfish. Right now she was being selfish, putting her curiosity over Hux’s comfort. 

The mask she wore could not hide her distrust. She wanted to ask about what he was doing but couldn’t. Even she knew to keep her distance from the General. They were both ruthless in their own ways.

Everything Phasma did was for herself. Everything Hux did was for the galaxy (at least that’s what he told himself). 

His jaw shifted as she stood in her way. He was thankful she never caught him leaving his quarters. She knew better than to get close to Hux’s quarters.

“May I help you, Captain?” Hux asked. He walked around her. She followed. 

“There are reports that the planet of Akena has been inviting New Republic diplomats to have conversations with them.”

“And?” He knew she wanted something from him. 

“Akena is a hefty, powerful planet that has remained neutral throughout many of the galaxy’s trials. It would be disadvantageous for them to align themselves with those New Republic snakes.” 

“We have no reason to  _ waste  _ our time on Akena. If they want to align themselves with General Leia Organa’s lot then they’ll merely regret it in the future. Now, what did you actually want to ask me?” Phasma was quiet for a moment. “I hope you don’t take me for a fool. I know you have been watching me like a hawk. What is your angle?”

“To know what my General is planning.” 

Hux groaned. “You're worse than Mitaka with your incessant concern about my life. You have your own duties.” 

“You have been on and off ship frequently. Are there plans in the making for the First Order?” She was keeping her tone leveled and professional. 

“Don’t you have troopers to be training? Honestly, Captain, these interactions are quite tiring. I have enough to deal with right now, hopefully, you can understand.” 

“Don’t we all.” He quirked an eyebrow at her. She remained tall and upright and shimmering in chrome. “Perhaps the work could be delegated.”

Hux huffed. “Not a chance. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a ship to run, a superweapon to build, a meeting with High Command to schedule, and a galaxy to pacify.”

He picked up his pace. She stopped completely. 

She could shoot him at any time, theoretically. If she was fed up with him, that would be the perfect opportunity and nobody would know. A blaster mark could’ve been from anyone.

Anyone but Ren, that is. Hux suspected she knew of the nature of his relationship with Ren. It was the only thing stopping her from becoming too forceful or sneaky in her methods. If she wanted to find out everything he was hiding, she’d have no problem. 

Hux had to trust for now she had a good sense and wouldn’t go behind his back. 

As Hux stood on the bridge, Hux felt something pull at the back of his mind. It was beckoning him. His hands twitched behind his back.

His mind kept drifting to Ares hopelessly. Something felt wrong, he just didn’t know what it was. 

He counted on Ren to be a good father. There were too many enemies around them for the two of them to not give Ares a sense of security. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> leave a comment and a kudos it will mean a lot!
> 
> Me: remember, hux and kylo are manipulative, ruthless leaders and-  
> also me: how can i make them soft boys


	14. Blessed Be The Parents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo uni started im so tired and everything is chaotic but ill try to keep up! hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a comment and kudos.  
> Here comes General Pryde ;)
> 
> content warning: implied unwanted sexual/violent thoughts, just tense first order relationships in general smh

“—and adding another star dreadnought at a time like this seems irresponsible, General Hux!” Admiral Marks exclaimed, flaring his nostrils at the General. Hux very much wanted to rip the man’s throat out. He was always so fussy.

Ares was less fussy than the damned Admiral. 

“Supreme Leader Snoke is not opposed to this. I believe constructing the ship now will prove to be useful in the future when Starkiller is complete. Once we fire it, I’m sure that the pathetic Rebellion, what's left of the New Republic, and many of General Organa’s friends will not be happy.” None of them would be able to guess that General Hux was just using the ship as an excuse to build a safer space to raise Ares. It would be a warship, yes, but it would sit idle unless truly needed. 

“Don’t you have enough little side projects?” Another member of high command commented. Hux did his best to keep himself calm. 

The older members of command had no respect for him. They only listened to him because they had to. No doubt they all would try to push a knife through his chest if the moment presented itself. 

“The General is fully capable of himself,” Mitaka defended. Hux tried not to smile at Mitaka. Though Mitaka wasn’t as high ranking as the other members, he still was intelligent and in Hux’s good book. Some of the men looked among themselves, wondering what to say.

Maybe he should’ve accepted that offer to drink tea with the lieutenant. 

“We all know that,” Allegiant General Pryde said, spinning back forward in his seat. Everyone seemed to dip their head slightly. Hux was clenching his hands under the table. “General Hux has also proved to be ambitious.” Hux didn’t like how Pryde spoke as if he wasn’t sitting right near the damned man. 

Hux was notorious for arguing with his coworkers. He was professional about the way he did it, but they all knew how he had a bite. He hadn’t submitted to others since the days of his father. Allegiant General Pryde knew this too well. Allegiant General Pryde was one of the only other people that seemingly could get Hux to heel like the feral dog he was. 

“What is the point of being a leader without vision? We cannot possibly build up the First Order if we do not buildanything _,_ ” Hux retorted.

He always hated Pryde for being one rank above him by a technicality. He always figured this was Snoke’s way of keeping him properly looked after because he was still considered young. In the order of rankings, Hux was about the third most trusted and influential figure in the First Order, and Pryde certainly didn’t have his influence, but Pryde still held power over Hux. It bothered General Hux endlessly. 

Pryde knew how to get under Hux’s skin and, oppositely, he knew how to help get Hux on the right track. The push and pull of the relationship had no room for anyone else to intervene in. Hux still required some mentoring, but he was also past the point of needing to be told what was right and wrong and sitting pretty. He deserved his rank. Pryde was just a symbol of his fury. 

“Just because we have money in the budget doesn’t mean we are to spend it just yet,  _Armitage_.” 

Everyone tensed. Captain Peavey tried not to laugh as he watched the ginger weasel get smacked down by the only ranking officer higher than him on the ship. Hux’s eye twitched slightly. No one else would disrespect him so blatantly. 

Pryde always had his blaster on hand. He loved blasters. He loved weaponry. He had a terrible habit of always showing off his blasters, especially if he had crafted them himself or upgraded them. Hux also had a skill in fixing up blasters but was much more discreet about it. Pryde’s blaster was currently sitting on the table, the barrel pointed towards Hux. Hux wasn't sure if this was intentional or not.

It was a terribly small blaster, but dangerous nonetheless. The table never thought much about Pryde’s blasters until there was a tense pause in the conversation. 

Pryde’s hands were folded on the table. Hux’s were still scratching at each other under the table. 

Kylo Ren entered the room suddenly. Half the room felt their hearts stop for a second. Hux felt himself grow utterly furious. 

Ren had been distant for him the past month. He was increasingly aggressive towards everyone and barely met Hux’s eye. Ren rarely removed his helmet, even in the privacy of Hux’s room. He didn’t think it was healthy for Ares to stare at a dark mechanical mask instead of a soft, emotional, human face. Granted, babies could only see a few inches away from their face in their first month of life, or so he read.

Hux had been reading mommy magazines on the holonet. The articles somehow made him feel lonely.

Ares was a little over a month old. He was gaining a healthy amount of weight. Hux had been diligently taking note of almost everything about Ares and communicating with Doctor Nikos, who had been inconspicuously working on the ship. She couldn’t be at their side constantly. She was assigned as a regular doctor on the ship for the stormtroopers. She did her best to stay busy. She was impressed with Ares’s eating habits, as was Hux. 

Hux suspected Ares knew the smell of food coming now. He had a certain way of squirming when one of his parents was making a bottle. Ares also liked to move his arms and legs around, testing his strength. He had begun to kick his blankets off at night, cry about it, get re-tucked in, and start the process again. 

Ren didn’t say anything about it. Ren wasn’t as fussy (it was Hux’s chosen word of the day ever since Ren decided to critique his parenting style) as Hux when it came to parenting.

“Lord Ren, I am surprised to see you,” Allegiant General Pryde said with a small smile. “A welcome surprise, may I add.”

“You all have been arguing here for long enough,” Ren told them through his vocoder. “The General and I must head to the Supremacy to see the Supreme Leader.”

_You kriffing idiot why are you bringing all of them into things that only concern us?_  Hux thought. He didn’t greet Ren.

“You could join our meetings.” Ren didn’t budge. “Ah, I do apologize then. I didn’t mean to hold up your General and the rest of the crew. We will convene on this matter later, we have been here awhile. For now, let’s draw up some roughs of this dreadnought. I believe General Hux will find that task right up his alley. Let’s call this meeting adjourned.” 

Hux didn’t bother to even respond to Pryde. Hux wanted to be speechless. He rather not talk to anyone at the moment. The galaxy kept pushing his buttons.  

Pryde pretended not to notice Hux’s pettiness. The rest of the crew hurried out the doors. Ren, Hux, and Pryde were left in the conference room. It was not surprising that Ren hadn’t come to squabble with them all. 

The General began to get up. Pryde stopped him.

“Would you wait a moment, General? I would like to discuss a few matters in private with you.” His eyes flashed to Ren. 

Ren was still standing menacingly by the doorway. Hux looked at Pryde somewhat nervously then turned his head to Ren. 

“If you don’t mind, Lord Ren,” Hux assured him. 

“It will only be a moment.” Pryde smiled. His matured skin wrinkled just about everywhere. 

“I wasn’t aware you were on the ship,” Ren said. 

“I bounce about,” Pryde said, still smiling. Ren didn’t know why his Master had Pryde in such a high position. There had to be something valuable about the man. 

Ren stiffly left the room and let the door shut behind him. He was waiting outside for Hux. Pryde turned his attention back to Hux, his smile gone from his lips. 

“Don’t call me Armitage in front of my subordinates,” Hux fumed. He tended to test the waters with Pryde but also had the sense to back down from the bigger dog when needed. 

“I apologize for that. I can’t help myself sometimes. I never called your father Hux, he was always called Brendol you know.” Hux knew Pryde always suspected him for Brendol’s death. There was no evidence other than Hux’s obvious resentment so Pryde never looked too deeply into it. He may have been afraid of suffering from a similar fate. “You were always Armitage in my eyes.” 

Hux shifted uncomfortably. “I’m a General. I’m not a child.”

“But you are still young. Young enough still to find a partner. I’m surprised you have not found some bride to stick up as your trophy,” Pryde blabbered. Hux grew confused. 

“You aren’t here to talk about my personal life. What do you want?”

“What? I can’t get to know you after all this time? Yes, I assume Brendol couldn’t force you to marry now that he isn’t here. You wouldn’t have been married off to some boring woman just for her dowry.” Hux wasn’t so old fashioned. Pryde was leaning forward, resting his hands on the table near his blaster. “Women were never really your style were they?”

Hux’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?” 

“Maybe I shouldn’t be so presumptuous. Though one must assume the worst or the best to get a better angle against their competition. I taught you that.”

“You also told me to hold my tongue. I suggest you do the same,” Hux warned. He began to gather himself to leave. “If you just are here to get a rise out of me, I should leave. I have matters to attend to.” 

Hux got up and began to head towards the door. Pryde shifted in his seat and set something on the table. It wasn’t another blaster from the sounds of it. 

“No, I don’t like wasting time either. I found this and thought to tell you. It’s quite small, almost like it was for a child.” 

Hux froze before he reached the door. His heart pounded hard in his chest. He slowly turned around. He tried his best not to seem utterly terrified.

A little black beanie sat on the table. It had the symbol of the First Order on it. Hux adjusted his cuffs.

“What is it?” He fayed innocence. 

“It's a tiny hat with our logo on it! Custom made perhaps?” Pryde looked at Hux with dark eyes. Near his left hand was Ares’ hat. Next to the other hand was his little blaster. They were both small, but one was a symbol of life and the other was a maker of death. 

“Perhaps.” Hux wasn’t going to indulge the Allegiant General right now. “Is this such a concern for you?”

Pryde didn’t seem to like Hux’s answer. “It could be if there’s a baby on board. Or if there’s some fishy business.” 

“Or maybe someone’s hat shrunk in the wash or someone is sending it to a family member. Honestly, sir, I think you are overthinking things.”

It was a good enough diversion for Pryde to look disappointed. He tucked the little hat back into his pocket. Ares had another one but Hux’s heart still pained watching a symbol of his son disappear into the hands of a man that wanted him to disappear. 

Pryde always wanted to pull Hux apart from the seams. The man’s old fingers wanted to find their way into the crest of Hux’s weakest spot and  _pull pull pull_  until the General’s husk was destroyed to reveal the soft inside. Hux didn’t know why Pryde was always so interested in him other than the fact he despised him. 

He would play Pryde’s game. He’d play everyone’s game. The moment Ares was involved he knew he had to back out, retreat, and collect his loses. The best he could do for now was pretend, for once, that he was clueless. (Ren argued that Hux was clueless. The man could engineer spaceships but couldn’t tell when someone was interested in him, sexually or not). 

“Maybe I am overthinking things. My apologies, General Hux. I suppose it got me thinking about the future,” Pryde said innocently. Hux didn’t believe him. “I just wanted to make sure the ship remains in the best shape.” 

“It always is in its best shape,” Hux said stubbornly, sneering at the older man. “I’ll be off then.” 

The Allegiant General was childless, from Hux’s knowledge, and currently spouseless, though Hux was never sure if he was ever married. He always took Pryde as being a bit too odd. He was an effective commander, sure, but he was teetering between following tradition and his agenda. 

The interaction did make Hux pale. He was practically quaking in his boots as the door closed behind him. He didn’t realize Pryde was glaring at the back of his head as he left, spinning the blaster in his hands. 

Ren took immediate notice of Hux’s grim complexion. 

“What is it?” Ren asked. He was told not to be personal with Hux, but Ren didn’t think he could sometimes care. Ares still needed a functioning parent and there needed to be a working General. 

“Nothing,” Hux said quickly. He didn’t want Ren to rage right now. “Where’s Ares?”

“With the droid, as you told me to leave him when we can’t be there.” Ren paused then added gruffly, “I don’t like the droid.”

“Poor you. Unfortunately, Ren, we don’t have another option.” 

“When we meet the knights perhaps one could stay and watch the child.” 

“I rather not entrust someone I don’t know with my baby. And having the title of Ren doesn’t make them competent enough to watch a baby. I mean look at their leader.” 

Ren grabbed Hux by the arm. His grip was tight and Hux jumped. 

“You best be careful with your tone, Armitage,” Ren warned. Hux’s brows bumped together in a scowl. He pulled his arm away. Hux didn’t know what had gotten into Ren lately. Back to his old ways, Hux supposed. 

“Don’t touch me like that and don’t call me Armitage. You sound like every older karking idiot on this ship.” Ren didn’t entirely understand what Hux meant but it irritated him nonetheless. “The droid is fine. I just want my baby right now.” 

_My baby_ was Hux’s choice words. Ren wanted to smack him in the face just for the phrase. In retrospect, Hux could have meant nothing by it. It may have been a mere demonstration of his protectiveness over Ares. Ren knew Hux’s strategic ways though. His slip up was a way to convey power. It was small but effective. Ares was his first before theirs. It was a warning. 

Ren also considered Hux’s comparison of his own choice words.  _Armitage_. It was a forbidden name. It was too vulnerable and too private a name for even Hux to say out loud. Ren found displeasure in the older officers just like Hux, but not for the same reason.

Their minds were filled with poison. Hatred was evident in all their heads, it was a given, but the men had no restraint in thinking their other vulgar thoughts. Some of the vividly imagined removing Hux from his place and standing there themselves. Hux’s youth, feigning youth as some of them may have added, was not a reason for his place of power.

The older officers’ thoughts of conquest sometimes made them also question what Hux was like underneath all his layers. Was he soft? Skinny? Covered in scars? Or was his skin milky white and clean-shaven? How easy would he be to break and bend? Their minds would then turn to the thoughts of their wives, their children, or their chambers afterward.

Ren wanted to crush their skulls. It was revolting. Ren never revealed these secrets to Hux. Even he worried that Hux would grow too traumatized by the reality to function properly. 

Sometimes people just had fucked up thoughts for no reason and regretted them. Others times they were too curious of what these thoughts could bring. 

One man Ren couldn’t crack was Allegiant General Pryde and his passive smile. What did he want from Hux? Ren, with his limited imagination, didn’t speculate. He didn’t want to cause more trouble for himself by always thinking about Hux.

It was hard not to think of Hux when Hux was a part of every minute of his life. 

Ares was squirming in his crib when the two of them returned to Hux’s quarters. The droid spoke happily in her female voice, informing that all was well and that she had changed Ares. Hux ordered her to shut down and tuck herself away. The droid disappeared into Hux’s closet. 

“Hi there,” Hux said softly, pulling up Ares into his arms. Ares was still small despite his growing. He was really quite a cute baby, though Hux and Ren would never say cute out loud. Ares smiled to himself. Hux kissed his head. Ren felt awkward watching the General act so sweetly. 

“The trip should be quick. My room on the Supremacy will be sufficient. Ares will have to sleep in the infant carrier for a night or two.”

Hux fidgeted. “That’s not safe for a baby. He needs a crib.”

It was something he learned from the mommy magazines. The only thing he disliked about the articles was that they were oriented towards women. The advice was the same, he figured, but he felt out of place amongst the words. 

“I don’t have a crib on the Supremacy. Obviously.” 

“Whatever. I’ll just put in a baby carrier that goes against me and he can sleep on my chest.” 

_What about me?_ Ren wanted to say. 

“Let me hold him before you put him in his seat.” 

Hux adjusted Ares defiantly, making sure Ares was comfortable against his chest. 

“You got to hold him all day. I’ve been working more than you.” 

“What, the grand General can’t share? Have you gone soft?” Ren jeered. 

Hux didn’t react to Ren calling him soft. It would have made him furious if Ares wasn’t against him. 

There was a newfound sense of softness in Hux that he didn’t notice. He was entirely considerate of Ares. One may have called it just being a good parent but in the case of Hux, the man’s sweetness towards the baby made him seem like a fake version of the General.

“Now I definitely won’t hand him over right now. You’re so fucking irritable when you don’t get your way. Have some patience and realize that I deserve to spend time with my son. You’ll stress him out.” 

Ren clenched his hand. Something shattered. 

Hux spun around quickly to see that Ren had crushed one of the baby bottles that was left on the table. 

They were both wide-eyed. Ares began to cry and Hux hugged him tightly and tried to comfort him. Ren swallowed hard. His hand began to feel clammy within his gloves.

“I didn’t mean—”

“Just!– Just shut up Ren!” Hux stammered, shrinking back slightly. “Just clean that up and we will be on our way.”

He turned his back to Ren and rocked Ares, trying to get him to calm. He could hear Hux’s quiet, comforting words he only said to Ares. Slowly, Ares began to relax. Ren only stressed more as he tossed away the pieces of the broken bottle. They’d need another one. 

Hux secured Ares in his baby seat. He looked strange with all the buckles across his body. In a way, he was their cargo to transport. He had to be safe and secure and discreet. They were going to leave once Ren sensed that their path was clear. Hux had already concocted a schedule that would keep everyone out of their way once they decided to leave. 

Ares found the baby seat to be strange. It was like a cocoon. He wanted the thumping sounds of his fathers’ chest back. He protruded his lip outwards. His chubby cheeks emphasized his confusion.

“Go to sleep, Ares. It will be better in the morning,” Hux told him. Ares didn’t understand but accepted his father’s noises. 

Hux didn’t know if it would be better in the morning. There wasn’t such thing as a morning anyway as they floated around in the vacuum of space. The stars were all far away from them and their planets spun around them, creating day and night at their leisure. They floated. 

He wanted Ares to be in a place where the sun would rise and set. Ares was not a rock to float aimlessly around in space. Hux wanted his son to feel the ocean and the rain.

Arkanis had those elements. It rained terribly on that planet. There was a cliff overlooking the cold ocean. If you jumped, you’d either hit the sand or the water depending on how you did it.

Maratelle told Hux that his mother had jumped from the cliff and hit the water violently. She was mad at him that day, most likely just for existing, and found it was a great time to reveal where Hux’s mother had disappeared to. 

Nobody told Hux explicitly that the kitchen maid was his genetic mother. He just knew. Between Maratelle hating him and not letting him call her mother and the kitchen maid’s red hair and love towards him, it wasn’t hard to tell. 

He knew that his mother hadn’t jumped from the cliff near the sea. If anything, Brendol probably pushed her off. Even that seemed too messy for Brendol. She probably was shot. 

Ares sneezed and Hux jumped back into reality. He didn’t like to wallow in pity. He couldn’t control what happened in the past, he could only create a better future for himself and Ares. If he had to take the stars out of the sky or blow planets out of orbit, so be it. It was better to be an important part of history than an asteroid floating aimlessly through space without purpose. 

The journey to the Supremacy left both men feeling hollow. Their son was quiet the whole ride like he knew the situation was tense. Ren could feel how Hux kept eyeing him with suspicious, waiting for Ren to snap again so he could have a justification to get Ren out of his life. 

Hux noticed Ren’s saber clipped to his belt. The weapon was much more obvious now that Ren was going back to his violent, childish ways.

Hux counted all the weapons on his body in his head. If Ren heard, so be it. Let it be a warning. As much as Hux enjoyed Ren’s try at being affable, he knew in time Ren would break down. Hux knew Ren was more intelligent than he appeared, but he also knew that Ren was selfish and didn’t have the willpower to fix himself.

If Ren was going to be a threat, Hux had no problem leaving him behind. It wouldn’t hurt too since he knew he’d be protecting everything he built and his son.

“Are you going to tell me what exactly we will be doing on the Supremacy?” Hux asked. Ren then realized he never told Hux what they were doing.

“My Knights are going to meet the baby. Think of it as a ritual of the Force, a blessing.” 

“Right.” It was rather inconvenient for them to go all the way to the Supremacy just for Hux to be all bothered about Ren’s cult. The alternative was having Ren’s lot on the Finalizer, which was worse.

Being on the Supremacy would allow Hux to check up on the ship and with those who could support him getting a new ship. It would be difficult to work, given he had to care for Ares, but he needed to work. Ren had no problem wanting to hog Ares all hours of the day.

The thought began to make Hux uncomfortable. Ren had lost his temper and shattered something of Ares’. He most likely was the one to lose Ares’ hat as well. How long until Ren hurt him?

Ares made little noises from his carrier, squirming in the confines of his blanket. Ares gave them both something to keep their minds off the tension of it all. 

Ren had a hard time flying. Hux kept distracting him with how he kept squeezing his hands in his lap. Ren didn’t know if he was nervous or not. He didn’t feel much of anything.

Ren wondered what Allegiant General Pryde had said to Hux to rile him up for the day.

Whatever it was, Ren somehow wanted to blame Hux for his mercurial behavior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> yeah so obviously pryde doesnt really exist yet so i made up his personality! i think hes a mentor figure for hux, but their relationship is still toxic.


	15. When He Calls, They Come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and the knights of ren arrive! be ready for oc introductions lmao. i like when the KOR is important to the plot, ok? ren and hux are also getting a little angsty, whoops  
> Leave a comment and kudos!! love y'all

“Ren, I’m unsure about this,” Hux said, his voice slightly unnerved. 

He had never met the Knights of Ren before. Even after all the years of knowing Kylo and Snoke, Ren’s knights remained elusive and mysterious despite Ren seemingly close relationships with them all. 

It already bothered Hux that he didn’t know them, but it worried him more that they were all force sensitive and worked for Ren: an aggressive, temperamental, idiot of a leader. He required Hux’s attentions to lead, so Hux couldn’t imagine Ren training up a bunch of force sensitives. It also superbly unnerved Hux that they were coming to meet his child. Ares was still too young to be surrounded by anything having to do with Ren. Ren himself was already an utter mess, he couldn’t imagine that a group of dark cultists surrounding his baby having a positive effect. 

“I trust my knights wholeheartedly. With my own life, and with my child,” Ren said firmly. There’s no way in hells Hux would bet Ren’s life on anything. Ren could survive battlefields alone just fine but knowing him he’d die bashing his head into something hard by accident. The knights couldn’t be any better. They were strong, but they couldn’t be responsible.

“You can say that all you want. I won’t trust them. Not until they prove themselves to me. Your word isn’t good enough. This is our baby we are talking about. Do you realize how fragile a baby is? Physically and mentally?” Hux asked, his tangent giving away his anxieties. Ren frowned at him unexpectedly. It irritated him that Ren had the nerve to be even the smallest bit upset with Hux’s concerns.

Hux had to give the Knights a chance. He knew that. Ren wouldn’t go on without them. A dark, deep part of Hux disliked the Knights already because Ren felt like he needed them. 

Like he needed their approval. Like they were a family he already had while Hux and Ares were just new additions. 

He knew he was being irrational, but Ren’s odd life was vexing to Hux, especially now that it had to do with him and Ares. 

They had arrived at the Supremacy with ease and without the prying eyes of anyone on the ship. They had tossed their bags into Ren’s room and changed Ares before heading off to meet the knights.

Ares kicked his chubby legs around in Hux’s arms, demanding his attention. Hux bounced the baby, acknowledging him and looking down into his light eyes. He pulled down the hat on Ares’s head so it more evenly covered his forehead. Ren watched intensely. To continue adding to Hux’s anxieties, he also disliked when Ren eyed him that way. He felt like Ren had something to say but refused to say it so it just added a strange atmosphere to the room. 

He hadn’t lately asked Hux to hold Ares in Hux’s place, other than back on the ship when he broke the baby bottle. Hux hypothesized that this was Ren’s weird way of trying to make Hux comfortable or give him space. Hux didn’t know, but it probably didn’t matter.

Ares sneezed and spasmed, startled by his sneeze. Ren looked to the ceiling of the throne room. He shut his eyes for a moment.

“The first arrivals are here,” he announced, eyes shooting open. Ren walked over to his seat and sat down, leaning back and slouching lazily. The unprofessional stance suited him. 

Hux rolled his eyes at Ren and stood next to the large seat in the void-like room that they were shoved in on the Supremacy. The room was comparable to Snoke’s throne room, though smaller in size and less grand. There was a large seat in the room and a pathway from the door.  There was a small table near the seat.

He rather much go back to the Finalizer but Snoke wanted to be close for when the other knights arrived. Something about Snoke being present somewhere made Hux’s heart pound unevenly. It was different from his anxieties, it’s like he could sense the dark energy Snoke gave. It was as if Snoke wanted to make sure Hux knew he was there without being there. 

Another part made Hux angry because Snoke was letting Ren have a position where he felt above him instead of as his equal. They both produced Ares, did they not? So why did he have to stand like some mistress who had to admit to having a baby with someone he wasn’t supposed to? 

Hux hated his nerves. He hated his worries.

Of fucking course, he still had to play the part of sideman to Ren even when he was holding their damn child. Hux could’ve carried Ares in his stomach and Ren would have probably made him stand next to him while Ren twiddled his thumbs in his seat. 

“Should I be concerned?” Hux asked, rocking Ares in his arms. Ren huffed. 

“They should be more concerned about you.” Hux didn’t know if that was an insult or compliment. 

It took a few minutes before any knights entered the room. The ship was warned about their arrival, but Hux already knew by their entrance that they had probably stressed out the entire crew. 

Two dark clad knights of Ren strode into the room. The first knight was wearing some sort of sling over its right arm. Its helmet looked extremely thick and had a flat design. The lines on the helmet were where the knight could see out if it could see at all. Hux found helmet designs often impractical, though the bulky designs helped with various environments and respiration in space. The knight’s robes went down to its boots in a straight cut style. Its boots were covered in buckles. Both knights appeared genderless in their robes.

The other knight of Ren’s style was more free-flowing but frightening, like some sort of reaper. Its mask very much resembled a yearning skull. A hood went over the mask and draped down the rest of the robes, which were equally long and flowing. The knight seemed to nervously hold its gloved fingers to its chest. This other knight very much looked like some sort of monk. There was some strange necklace around its neck that held a long dog tag like a slip of silver. Hux couldn’t read what was on it from where he was standing. 

Each knight very much embodied the Ren style in their specific ways. It was equally unnerving and typical. 

The two knights stopped walking right before the small platform where Ren was sitting. Ren was trying to contain the small smirk on his face. Hux certainly wasn’t going to say anything first so he kept tending to the baby, doing the most to avoid interaction until he was forced to. 

“Hux, meet two of my knights. First, meet Vision Ren. He is a skilled sniper, like yourself. Maybe you can bond over that,” Ren introduced. The knight with the arm strap bowed his head. Hux doubted he’d ever bond with some force user over sniping. He was surprised Ren remembered he used to be a sniper. 

“Nice to see you again Master. I was quick to answer your call. We have brought back gifts, as requested, for the mother and child. I hope mine will be the most pleasing, which I am confident it will.” There was no telling his species but Hux didn’t appreciate being called a mother. Hux scrunched his nose at the knight. 

“Hux is still a man despite being a donor to the child,” Ren told Vision. Hux couldn’t tell if they were joking with each other but he glared at Ren. This introduction ceremony would be done quickly if Ren was going to treat him like some sort of broodmare. If Hux was a mother, so was Ren. 

“Careful Ren,” Hux said softly, warning him. He adjusted Ares in his arms. He could feel the knights staring holes into him. He had a strange instinct to shield Ares from their field of vision (Hux snorted mentally at the pun). 

Ren continued. “And that is Nykita Ren. She is deeply attuned to the force, religiously so. She won’t say much, but it doesn’t mean she isn’t paying attention.”

Nykita was a tall female (again, of whatever species) and as Ren said, she was quiet. She gave a little bow and then remained there as a presence. Ares seemed to notice her. Hux wondered if she was doing something to him with the Force. Hux, unsure of what to do with himself, looked to Ren for a signal of some sort. He wasn’t going to interact with them freely. He wouldn’t even know where to begin. One of them already called him a mom while the other wasn’t a talker. He didn’t see how they were going to ever get on his good side, let alone be trustworthy around Ares. 

“The others?” Ren questioned his knights. 

“On their way, Master. They are coming as fast as they can from every part of the galaxy so they can bless the new child,” Vision replied. He seemed to be peppy about whatever he was referring to and Hux didn’t like it one be. What did they mean by bless? And gifts? He didn’t want Ares to be apart of any weird force ceremony. 

Hux stood their quietly as they waited for the rest of Ren’s knights to appear. Ren talked to Vision about his exploits and Vision seemed to have just about jumped from every planet in the galaxy to blow the brains out of any potential traitors or wanted force sensitives, but these were all mission Snoke had sent him out on. 

Two more knights appeared and Hux was grateful to at least be entertained by something else. He didn’t care anymore for Vision’s bragging about his assassinations. He just wanted to put Ares down for a nap and get back to work. Unlike Ren and his knights, Hux couldn’t just sit around and talk about past exploits that didn’t matter anymore. 

The next knight of the batch that entered was massive, bigger than Ren in width and height. There was no way this knight was human by its sheer size. Hux liked Ren largeness (if there was a better way to put it, Hux didn’t know how) but this knight was just a whole mountain with legs. It only appeared an inch or two taller than Ren but there was so much bulk on them and it obvious even with their robes. Like Vision, the knight had an arm sling but Hux couldn’t see any guns on them. Their mask looked destroyed as evidence of their long trials in battle. Despite the scratches and indents, the mask still hid the knight’s face. 

The knight moved quite sluggishly across the throne room. They didn’t bother to acknowledge their fellow knights, even when Vision seemed to perk up at their entrance. 

“Hello Master,” the knight said in a low toned voice. Like the knight’s movements, their voice was slow and tired sounding. 

“Welcome back Vin’olick,” Ren responded before turning to Hux. “Vio is my strongest knight, at least physically. She can crush anyone with her fist and with the force.”

Hux’s first surprise was that this creature was female. She seemed so huge that he assumed she was a male, but the aliens were always different. Hux didn’t interact much with aliens. Hux’s second reaction was an immediate worry at her apparent strength. If she could crush someone’s skull with her large hand (or claw. Or paw) there’s no doubt her sluggish hands would turn his precious baby into a damn jelly! 

“It’s cold on this ship Master,” Vio complained in her slow tone. 

Hux looked to Ren, an eyebrow raised. Had this alien never been to space or something? She had to travel by ship through space to get anywhere. He hated obvious, useless statements. 

“Vio is a Nyto. She’s a reptilian type. Usually, I wouldn’t disclose such information but she does have special requirements. I will deal with them, just be aware. I will deal with the adjustments for my knights,” Ren explained, almost humbly. 

Hux rolled his eyes but didn’t have any complaints. He wasn’t going to change the ship’s entire temperature for one reptile. Ren would deal with whatever idiotic whining these knights would project. 

The next knight was equally as worrying. No, they were positively worse. They were covered in weapons of all sorts. Hux swore he could see a fucking grenade on their chest. On a spaceship. The ship that held his fucking baby and the Supreme Leader. Wonderful.

They walked in with a black rod in their hands, using it like a fancy walking stick some rich Canto Bight gambler would hold. They gave it a twirl then laid it across their shoulder blades as if they were trying to be slick. 

“Sorry for the delay Master! Had to refuel,” the knight said loudly. Hux cringed like his loud talking would cause the several bombs strapped to his body to explode. The knight sounded masculine, even with the vocoder changed his voice 

“It’s fine Gyro—” Ren said but was interrupted. 

“So this is the elusive General Hux! Must I say you are much more handsome in real life than in your holos!” Hux felt his eye twitch. He didn’t expect this knight to be so blunt. Ren frowned his brow but Gyro kept going. “And what a beautiful baby! He will be sure to get your beautiful traits, General! You are really lucky Master, truly great traits in this one.” Gyro tilted his head, “But I’m surprised—”

Ren interrupted Gyro this time, sternly saying “Quiet!” 

Gyro shut up but bounced on his heels. Hux was curious to why Ren stopped him suddenly when he hadn’t stopped Gyro at the obvious flattery. Usually, Ren was a jealous stickler and disliked anyone being too ‘kind’ to Hux, but something about his tone and choice in when he stopped Gyro was peculiar. 

Ares let out a little whine and everyone’s attention turned the baby. After all, Ares was the real reason for everyone’s arrival. 

“Precious creature, lucky creature, dangerous creature,” Hux heard Gyro mumble. That was the introduction he got for Gyro. Ren’s darkened mood changed the atmosphere of the room. 

Ares began to cry. Hux bounced him but his patience was growing thin. He didn’t care for this ceremony. He was about to ask Ren to leave with Ares when Ren began to speak again. 

“Why is she late?” Ren asked, his voice riddled with annoyance. Naturally, Hux figured Ren was referring to another knight but something about his attention to her was interesting. Perhaps Ares’s crying was making Ren a little cranky too. Like father like son, Hux supposed. 

“She said she was coming, Master, but that was the extent of it. She can be stubborn,” Gyro said, shifting from side to side. Ren squeezed the bridge of his aquiline nose. 

“Never mind,” Ren suddenly said. He looked up to the ceiling, “I can feel her arrival.” 

Ren muttered something Hux didn’t catch but he sounded like a disapproving parent with whatever he said.

With the subtle passage of time, what appeared to be the final knight arrived. Hux thought there were seven Knights of Ren, not including Ren, but only five arrived. If the others had died or if there was always only five, Hux didn’t know. Ares has calmed down a bit. He tuckered himself out, drifting into sleep against Hux’s chest. Hux wish he could fall asleep too. 

This last knight had a mask like a grid. She strode in with an assertive power and the other four knights let her down the middle. They made a line across the throne floor but with this new knight the frontmost out of all of them like she was special. Hux lifted his chin at her arrival. 

She was the shortest of the Knights of Ren, yet she had the stance as the most powerful. She probably barely made it to Ren’s shoulders if they stood next to each other. 

Despite her robes, Hux could tell she had a small, feminine stature. Her coat’s flaps met at an angle and jutted out at a slant to show off most of her legs. She wore dark pants, just as everyone else, but her pants were somewhat tighter though they didn’t give away too much of her shape. She wore a belt that was half-covered by her jacket. Where the insides of her jacket met at the end of the ‘v’ shape it made from being open at the bottom. The side of her belt that wasn’t covered had a lightsaber clipped to it. The other knights didn’t make their lightsabers apparent if they had any, but here this knight had hers proudly on her hip. 

“Arla,” Ren said in a displeased tone. 

“Kylo,” she replied plainly. Hux nearly choked. 

It was unbelievable. She addressed him so blatantly by his first name that Hux was surprised Ren didn’t go into a power hunger tantrum where he slammed her against the wall with the force. Hux rarely called him Kylo and he had a child with him. The other knights, though masked and covered, seemed uncomfortable by this. Or maybe their discomfort in the Force was palpable. Ren gripped his chair but let his temper mellow out. 

“Why are you late?” Ren asked in a low voice. 

“It’s not easy traveling across the whole damn galaxy while also needing to get some baby shower gifts. Thanks for the heads up by the way, nice to know you’re off making a family while some of us are actually off working to rid of Skywalker,” she fumed, her voice full of venom. Ren’s nostrils flared. Hux mentally was counting how long it would take Ren to explode. 

He had to give her credit though, she had some balls talking to Ren so boldly. If anyone else had even looked at Ren curiously he’d probably rip their heads off yet this Arla girl stood in front of them untouched. She had a hand on her hip and put most of her balance on one leg. 

“We will talk later,” Ren said through his teeth, glancing to Ares who was kicking his legs and whining again. Ares couldn’t decide if he was going to sleep or stay awake. 

Arla looked to the baby as well. She seemed to back off after that and crossed her arms, waiting quietly as she swam angrily through her thoughts. 

“So, I’m getting a baby shower?” Hux asked sarcastically. He had to get them to move on quicker. Ares was sleepy and hungry and he was agreeing with his baby. This was taking too long. He needed to get back to the Finalizer to finish Starkiller and Ares needed his special crib so he’d sleep. 

It wasn’t like Hux didn’t appreciate Ren’s strange effort at creating some semblance of normalcy, but it was the fact he was trying to create a family unit with Hux was what was abnormal. Ren was introducing Hux to his— dare he say it— family and making them offer their baby presents. He didn’t understand why Ren bothered. Snoke made it extraordinarily clear that once the baby got old enough that Snoke would raise it properly to wield the force. They shouldn’t be pretending that this is a family unit. They were merely babysitting their biological child until he could be a proper soldier.

Hux swallows down the pang in his heart when he thinks about Ares leaving him one day. But Hux is a smart man, he knows not to go against the Supreme Leader. 

Ren, on the other hand, is a wild card as he impatiently watches over his knights as if he is threatening them that they better give Hux and Ares a good ‘baby shower.’ Hux didn’t see the point in all this. At least the smallest knight Arla seemed to share Hux’s confusion, no matter how disrespectful she was acting. 

The disrespect didn’t stop as the other knights began to offer Hux and the baby their odd presents. Arla continued to display her annoyance as she posed with a hand on her hip and her bag in the other. Vision was quick to set up first, eager to prove himself in front of his other knights. The little knight Arla tilted her head upwards managing to show off her annoyance at Vision’s quickness to kiss ass. Vision didn’t seem to notice anyway and gladly stepped up. 

He approached Hux slowly trying to appear nonthreatening. It didn’t matter how he tried to appear though given that he was dressed head to toe in black robes and wearing a creepy mask. Ares didn’t think much of them for now. They were interesting blobs in his vision, but he was quite at peace with being against Hux’s chest. 

“I have secured a much more meaningful gift for the prodigy of my Master!” Vision announced, as though he knew his gift would already be the best. Hux subdued his desire to roll his eyes. Ren sat passively. Vision unveiled a thick paper book from his pack. “Behold! The Book Of The Parte Tenebrosa. A rare script of dark side knowledge still not fully translated from its ancient language.”

Hux repressed his urge to roll his eyes. Even if the book had value, it had no value to Ares. It was obvious to Hux they were indulging Ren rather than being useful. 

“That’s quite the artifact,” Ren told him. The knight became gleeful and puffed out his chest. 

“It would be quite the gift if I hadn’t told him it’s location,” Arla Ren said offhandedly, pretending that she wasn’t saying it out loud. Vision twitched but didn’t falter. 

Hux didn’t think the knights would have had some bad blood between them. He wondered if they were all fighting for Ren’s attention or that there were individual relationships that just didn’t coincide. The knight Arla did appear to him to have more authority than the other knights. He grew curious about her. 

“Arla, enough,” Ren warned her. She looked to the side but shut up. 

The knights proceeded with their gifts. Hux didn’t know what to make of half of them. The monk knight Nykita silently offered them a circular device. She said it was a map of every known region of the galaxy but it could only be accessed by force users. Hux didn’t see the use in it. The map must’ve had more significance than that. Vio, who seemed to make the ship move when she walked, gave them a charm that she said could prevent people from controlling force nulls with the force. Hux found the charm useful and thanked her for it. The other knights perked up when he spoke as if he was a foreign creature. 

Gyro gave them a stuffed plush of a grey wampa and a device that helped with meditation. The device was shaped like an egg. 

“With force meditation or regular meditation?” Hux asked.

“Both.” 

That wasn’t at all helpful. Hux did accept the wampa plush though. Surely that could be useful to Ares unless it was possessed by some ancient force spirit or whatever. 

“If you want, you can stick it in your—”

“Thank you Gyro Ren!” Hux said loudly over him. Ares jolted back awake and looked up to Hux as if to ask ‘what’s all the noise for?’ 

Arla was last. She was quiet yet impatient. She walked up to Hux, even though the other knights had given their gifts to Ren. Ren’s fingers gripped at the armrest as he watched her display such an improper act. 

“I don’t care much for this arrangement,” she said earnestly. “I don’t have a choice though and I figure you don’t either, General. I will always respect my Master’s wishes.”

“Snoke discussed this with you all?” Hux asked, curious. 

“Ren,” Arla clarified. It sounded borderline treasonous.

“Arla,” Ren warned again, wanting her to hurry up. 

She dug through her bag and pulled out two objects: one snapped like a cube and the other a pyramid. They were both about the length of his hand, and she had long fingers (compared to most girl’s hands, that is). The items had intricate designs made up of golden lines. The cube was blue while the pyramid was red.

“I have brought to you both two holocrons. One of the light and one of the dark. These hold prophecies most important to the galaxy, and I suspect your child will need them one day. The Force had sent me a vision of these and I went to fetch them,” she announced. The Knights became enveloped with both awe and jealousy over her find. Ren even propped up, utterly interested. 

“And what are the fortunes?” Ren asked. 

“They have yet to be opened. It requires a kyber crystal to activate, though I suspect your child in the future will open them with his own,” she told him.

Hux raised an eyebrow at her. She pretended not to see. To Hux, it sounded like she knew Ares had some sort of future. To what extent, he didn’t know and perhaps she didn’t either.

The other knights were respectful and almost mindless towards Ren, trying to obey his orders and give him what he wanted. Hux could tell Arla was different. She was defiant, and Hux got the impression that she was young. 

Where would Ren get younger people to fight for him, he wondered. Perhaps she was just immature, again like Ren. 

Arla looked back to Hux then to baby Ares. Ares stared at her curiously then put his fist near his mouth. 

“Does he need a pacifier?” She asked. Hux blinked blankly, shocked at her interest.

“I have one but he doesn’t seem to need them that much.”

“That’s good. I hear that pacifiers can be bad for babies,” she said. Hux didn’t know what to make of her comment. Ren began to shift uncomfortably. Hux didn’t know if she was suggesting something that only Ren would understand or if she was trying to be helpful.

“Right.”

Arla pulled a box out of her bag. She placed it on the table in front of Ren along with the rest of the strange gifts. 

“It has bibs and baby wipes and stuff. I didn’t know what you had. I didn’t want to get a baby swing if you had one,” she scratched the back of her neck. Hux knew she had to be human. The other knights, he wasn’t sure. 

“Oh, thank you, Miss Arla,” Hux said with a forced smile. She was being thoughtful with her gifts, but the situation was still strange.

“Lady Ren,” she insisted. Hux tilted his head. “Or just Arla.” 

“Arla then,” Hux said a little too defiantly. She gave a sarcastic curtsy and glanced to Ren before going back to stand in the middle of the other knights who had been watching silently. 

There was a moment of silence. Ren took in a deep breath and shut his eyes and the knights bowed their heads. Ares made little noises and kicked his legs. It was unnerving to be amongst force users and have no clue what they were doing. Hux looked down to Ares and stared into his grey-blue eyes. 

Ren’s eyes shot open and he lazily leaned forward. Hux couldn’t tell if the knights were watching him or if they had their eyes closed as Ren had. Ren turned to Hux and put his arms out. 

“Let me hold Ares,” Ren said. Hux was still for a moment, glancing back down at Ares.

Ren was violent and selfish, but he was still Ares’ father too. Hux had to trust him, Ren wanted Hux’s trust after all. 

Yet, Hux couldn’t figure out why he was distrusting Ren with Ares more and more. Ren’s eyes were dark, even when he wanted Ares. Hux knew the galaxy could see his awe in his eyes when he looked at Ares. 

It was like there was a disconnect between Ren and him and Ares. Even though Ren insisted the Force made him and Ares close, Hux still couldn’t see it.

Hux begrudgingly handed Ares to Ren. Ares had no problem with this as he was already familiar with who his family members were. 

“Leave us to speak,” Ren announced. The knights all bowed, except for Gyro. Ren snarled at him.

“I was informed to send the General his next meeting,” Gyro told them as the other knights walked out. Arla childishly bumped him with her shoulder as she walked by. He didn’t take notice of it. 

“Fine. I’ll call you back in when we are ready.” The knight headed out with the others.

Hux wasn’t aware of anything he was supposed to be doing on the Supremacy. The whole trip was a bit spontaneous, too spontaneous, in fact, for someone who runs a warship and has a baby. 

Hux immediately turned to Ren. “Interesting bunch. Where’d you meet them?”

It was a mordacious question. He had heard the rumors of Ren’s little knights and how they mostly were all Skywalker students that Ren had warped into his game. Hux couldn’t confirm the rumors, but if they were true that didn’t mean they were the same knights from those years before. 

“That’s a discussion for another time. I want you to trust them.” 

“You are insisting on making me trust a bunch of people or aliens I don’t know? I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt but I hardly can be forced to trust or like them,” Hux told Ren sternly. He was annoyed by Ren’s insistence to make Hux like his knights. “I won’t have them alone with Ares.”

“At one point you’ll need someone to help you, Hux.”

Hux flared his nostrils and smiled cruelly at Ren. “And who will help you, Ren?” 

“My knights, obviously. There must be at least one you like.” 

Hux didn’t like any of them. He was curious of some of them, but that didn’t make the likable.

“How about that Arla girl?”

“Someone else.” 

“You must be joking.” 

“She’s… different from the rest of my knights. Stubborn,” Ren tried to explain. 

“Do you trust her? Is she loyal?”

“I trust her with everything I have. And she’d slaughter anyone I told her too, she’d get me anything I want. If I told her to love me, she will, I tell her to hate me, she will,” Ren explained. Hux just was creeped out by his explanation.

“That seems like all your knights. They all pant and do little tricks for your attention.” 

“Maybe. But Arla has more free spirit. It’s difficult to explain. Are you sure you won’t like anyone else?”

“I didn’t even say I liked her, Ren. She seems arrogant and childish. But who can blame her when she listens to you,” he taunted. The only thing keeping Ren from strangling Hux at the moment was the baby in his arms. “You know Ren, I don’t appreciate all this cryptic work. It makes me feel uncomfortable,” Hux squirms in discomfort, embarrassed by his own words, unsafe honestly. "I want Ares to have a good chance at life but you’re being strange. It’s something with the Force, probably.”

Ren’s face softened, not that Hux could see. Behind his cruelty and his stubbornness, Hux had a heart for what he cared about. He wasn’t a good person, but Ren wasn’t either, but he still had some sort of adoration in his soul. 

“I— We’ll be alright, General. This will all be settled in time. Ares will need to be surrounded by others like him,” Ren tried to explain. Hux still seemed worried.

“Right,” he said, somewhat sadly. 

Gyro returned. All worry had vanished from Hux’s face. He looked as stern as ever. Gyro bowed before speaking.

“General Hux, you are needed,” Gyro explained and then gave Hux a location on the ship. 

Hux nodded before looking back at Ren and Ares. “Don’t hand off my child to anyone. And I mean anyone,” the General warned.

Hux left with his arms tucked behind his back and his chin high. Once Hux was gone, Gyro became giddy.

“May I hold him?” Gyro asked, putting his arms out as if he didn’t just hear Hux tell Ren to not give away their child. 

“No.” Gyro slouched disappointedly. Ren adjusted Ares in his arms, who began to fuss and cry. Ren dipped into his son's fragile mind and saw that Ares was trying to find Hux. “Where is the General going? For what matter?”

“Huh? Oh, I’m not sure. A meeting. I don’t pay attention to politics.” Gyro shrugged. Gyro began to bounce in place again. “Come on, Master! We must see the child. Please?”

Ren’s mind lulled for a moment, tuning Gyro out as he focused on Ares’s force abilities. He tried to calm Ares, but the boy kept wondering where Hux had gone. Ares was worried, in his babyish way. Ren didn’t know if babies felt worried as an emotion. He didn’t know what to do about it but keep Ares against his chest and hum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what do you think of the knights of ren?  
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> For reference this chapter with the Knights of Ren:  
> Arla Ren: The Rogue  
> Vio Ren: The Heavy  
> Gyro Ren: The Armory  
> Vision Ren: The Sniper  
> Nykita Ren: The Monk


	16. Sober Up, Darling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we are back! this chapter is darker than the other ones, so be warned. it's feel bad for hux time. 
> 
> cw: physical abuse/corporal abuse (on Hux), threats, unhealthy relationship dynamics

The Supremacy rumbled differently than the Finalizer. Hux compared it to the purr of a cat. The purr of the two ships technically meant the same, but their personalities were different. The Finalizer hummed with glory and strength, ready to seize the galaxy. The Supremacy’s purr was colder and deceptive.

The Supremacy was the mobile capital of the First Order. It housed other ships and trained their very best troopers. Hux recalled this knowledge as if he would be tested on it later.

Soldiers saluted him as he passed. Hux looked for the room that Gyro said he was needed in. He didn’t know Gyro, but he presumed the man’s (Hux assumed Gyro was male) instructions were given to him by Snoke.

The doorway was in an odd section of the ship near the medical facilities. Hux had thought he would've been heading towards a conference room of some sort or even a command lab. The silence of the empty corridors unnerved him. He felt like he was invading somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. 

Hux eventually found the room. The automatic door opened and Hux stepped inside. He was startled when the door closed again. The room was peculiar, to say the least. It had paneling much like in the elevator with black panels with geometric designs covering walls of white light. Despite the white lights, the middle of the room seemed dark. There was a strange table in the middle with cushioned padding on it. It looked very much like a bench a masseuse would use to massage her clients on.

There was another door in the room. He went up to it but it didn’t open. He tried putting in his code to access the door but it was denied.

Hux frowned his eyebrows at the room. He wished he had brought his greatcoat as his body began to feel cold. He hoped the ship wasn’t too cold for Ares. 

Hux went up to the bench and ran his fingers against the cushions. 

The other door opened. Hux looked back and felt his heart fall into the pit of his stomach.

“Hello Armitage,” Allegiant General Pryde said with a dark smile. Hux spun around and pressed himself against the table. 

“Sir!” Hux said, startled. “I thought you were still on the Finalizer. We only spoke recently, you must have come here quickly.”

Hux realized he was talking nervously and stopped. He tried to stand up straighter and hide his confusion.

“I was, I know it was rather inconvenient to come here on another ship but it would’ve made this whole ordeal mighty awkward. Besides, Lord Ren doesn’t like me much; I wouldn’t like to be on a ship with him,” Pryde explained casually, pretending not to see Hux’s obvious signs of nervousness and confusion. 

Pryde could see Hux’s strings. All he had to do was pull and pull and pull and he knew Armitage would fall apart. 

Hux lost the ability to speak for a moment. “Lord Ren doesn’t like anyone, don’t be offended,” he tried to joke but felt his voice faltering.

Pryde huffed with a smirk anyhow. “Anyone but you, that is.”

Hux blinked blankly. “Pardon, Sir?” 

“Come on Armitage, don’t play coy with me. I know you aren’t innocent. You had lost innocence long ago,” Pryde said, circling Hux and observing him. He felt like a prize animal, waiting for someone to pick him for slaughter. “I know of your relationship with Lord Ren.”

“I don’t—” Pryde smacked Hux across the face. Hux took the hit and held his cheek after. 

His body told him to be complacent and he began to listen. Don’t fight it, he thought, or worse will come. He felt his stinging cheek and continued to listen to Pryde knowing that he was utterly fucked. 

“Don’t be stupid with me, boy. It doesn’t suit you. I had my inkling, maybe you didn’t even want all of Lord Ren’s attention, but I know you. Always planning, always picking out your pawns for the next game you’ll play. You can’t bat your pretty eyelashes forever, Armitage. None of this is about you,” Pryde thundered, getting near Hux’s face. Hux wouldn’t meet his eye and continued to hold his face. Seeing that Hux was now submitting, Pryde laughed a little. “Honestly, I would have figured it out even if Snoke didn’t tell me to come to give you a good disciplining.” 

When Hux didn’t say anything, Pryde grabbed him roughly by the arm and shook him, yelling, “When a superior talks to you, you respond!” 

Hux swallowed hard and continued to pretend none of this bothered him. He was quite good at it usually. He could go on for days being cold and pretending that recent events didn’t shake him, but he felt like some of his emotions were still getting through.

Being a parent made you softer, Hux supposed. Well, if you were a good parent that is. 

Hux allowed his mind to drift to Ares. If he could just handle this or anything like this, Ares would be safe and the galaxy would be his. He had been trampled on his whole life, he could handle more. He could handle more because he knew there was something he was destined for and, now, there was something that would be greater than him. 

“Yes sir,” was all Hux could say. Pryde narrowed his eyes at Hux, displeased with his answer despite it being a proper one.

“You think I talk meaninglessly, about you not wanting a wife. See where I got it from?” Pryde grabbed Hux by the face to force him to look up into his cold eyes. Hux gritted his teeth and wished he could spit in Pryde’s face. He could kill him. He didn’t because he knew it would be too easy to find that he had done it. “You are losing your footing, Armitage. I only want what’s best for the First Order. I can only hope you would want the same! You will not go about being Kylo Ren’s whore and ruining his focus. I know Lord Ren is difficult to handle, but I know that even a weasel like you can stop yourself from being so weak and delusional.” 

Hux was silent again, his eyes looking to the side for a moment. His cheeks began to warm. Pryde pouted at him mockingly. Hux watched as the wrinkles in the ugly man’s face softened as if he was trying to look fatherly. 

“What’s wrong Armitage? Don’t tell me you actually like Lord Ren? Surely you don’t lack the analysis skills to see why that’s a problem,” Pryde said in a low, softer voice. 

“No.” Hux’s voice was near inaudible. Pryde jostled Hux again, trying to force him back to be soldierly. Hux corrected himself, “No, sir.” 

“Well, that’s good considering Lord Ren has no problem killing and maiming to get what he wants. I wouldn’t want our General Hux to be wasted all because of some delusional exploitation of his heart.” Pryde squeezes Hux’s face harder. “You know what I hear? That he had killed many children to get into Snoke’s good side. Now, I may be a quality officer but I couldn't kill individual children. They are poor, innocent creatures.”

Hux didn’t believe that Pryde wouldn’t kill a child. If a child had stood up to him, he’d probably give it a horrid life. Hux didn’t think murder was the only way to kill someone. You could kill their minds until they wished for death. 

“Lord Ren is known for his ruthlessness. He is a soldier cut from a different thread. His temperament is nothing to mess with, but he is quite messy,” Hux explained, attempting to sound like he was on Pryde’s side.

“That’s correct. I was starting to think you forgot about that, seeing that he has become your little puppy. I didn’t think it was healthy to have a man like that around when you have a _child_.” 

Hux’s eyes widened and he became a statue in Pryde’s hands. His chest began to ache and his stomach felt about as heavy as a boulder. Pryde enjoyed watching General Hux break down for the first time in a long time. 

“How… I—” Hux couldn’t find any words. His legs were going to give out.

“What, you think after all this I didn’t know? A bastard with a bastard son, it’s like history is bound to repeat itself, isn’t it? While I find the circumstances of his birth deplorable, it’s what the Supreme Leader had wanted I assume. But don’t take that as a way to think he’ll be safe and well off. You must behave and keep in line for your own sake, and your son’s. What did you think would come out of this? That you’d have one big happy family unit with a man that is using you and waiting to get rid of you? You have been idiotic to think that that dishonorable force user is a trustworthy asset to raise who will be the future of our galaxy, as much as I dislike the idea.” 

Hux could barely understand what Pryde was saying. He kept thinking back to Ares. His son was in danger. He always knew that, in the back of his mind, but now more danger made itself apparent. 

“What will you do with him?” Hux asked cautiously. 

“For now, nothing. As long as you keep everything in order with all your little projects. I’m trying to help you, Armitage, tell you that Ren is no good,” Pryde explained. His grip softened and his older fingers gently rubbed against the side of Hux’s face. Hux cringed. “You should worry about yourself.”

“Why is that, Sir?” 

“Because, as I said, you’ve lost your footing. It’s time I correct that. After all, it’s why I’m here.” Pryde let go of Hux and circled the table. Hux shifted his jaw to get the uncomfortable feeling to vanish. “Take off your boots and socks and lay belly first on this table.” 

“Why?”

“I already told you why, you kriffing imbecile,” Pryde said, frustrated. “Stop asking questions and do as I say. I am a rank above you, after all.”

Hux felt cold and his chest was tight, feeling a sudden hit of hopelessness. He did as he was told and got on the table, noticing that Pryde had procured a leather whip with many black tassels hanging from it. 

Pryde stood behind Hux. The man put his hand on one of Hux’s ankles and Hux shivered in discomfort. Pryde pushed the cuff of his pant leg upwards to expose more of his leg and he repeated the process to the other leg. He did it awfully slowly. Hux repressed the desire to kick Pryde in the face like some sort of angry horse. 

Hux’s fingers gripped the head of the table, waiting for his punishment. He had many punishments in his lifetime, he tried to think that this one would be no different. But it was different, this punishment was a warning to him and Ares. Hux knew if he couldn’t behave, he wouldn’t be the only one punished. 

“If you pull away more will come,” Pryde warned. Hux took in a deep breath.

And then Pryde rained down his fury onto Hux’s exposed skin. He didn’t pull away, but he couldn’t help but jolt and twitch when the leather smacked him so violently across his feet. It was supposed to be a stupidly metaphorical representation of his errors. He didn’t know that everyone was so poetic when it came to pain.

Hux tried to ignore it at first. It stung and burned but he did his best just to lay still and think of other things. Starkiller was being built on a timely matter, almost done in fact. Granted it couldn’t fire right away. Nobody had bothered them about their megaweapon, which he was proud about. Honestly, they didn’t give him enough credit.

His thoughts were often interrupted by the sound of the whip hitting his feet echoing across the room. Hux began to think his left foot was bleeding. Or maybe that was sweat? He didn’t know. 

He silently wished for Pryde to throw out his stupid back while doing this. It would have been quite amusing. 

Pryde struck him somehow harder and Hux bit into his gloved thumb. He hadn’t screamed yet, only let out little sighs. 

He could hear Pryde panting behind him. The older man was getting tired from all the work and Hux hoped that meant he’d stop soon. 

Pryde wiped his head. “Stubborn, aren’t you? I must ask, how are your drinking habits?”

It seemed very off-topic. “What habits?” Hux murmured.

“I saw you that night of the Canto Bight trip drunk out of your mind. You were stumbling everywhere. I saw you leave and was worried someone was going to molest you.” 

 _Worried or fantasizing about it?_ Hux wondered, rolling his eyes to himself. 

“I’m not an alcoholic. I haven’t had a drink since—” Hux let out his first shriek as the whip his feet again unexpectedly. Hux cursed to himself, he knew that Pryde was trying to catch him off guard to hear his pain.

“What, since your child was born? That makes you an average parent doesn’t it. No, Brendol was a bit of a drinker and I had to ask because I wondered if you would end up like him,” Pryde said smugly. 

“I’m not!—” Another smack came and he bit into his lip hard enough to draw blood. 

“You best pray you aren’t. You don’t want your kid to end up as pathetic as you.”

Hux whimpered as Pryde hit him again. 

A stormtrooper’s conditioning usually meant shoving propaganda in their face and giving them a harsh retraining regime. Shoot better, don’t hesitate, those terrorists are all looking to ruin the galaxy...

An officer's punishment was corporal. Talk to the boss, get fired, or if you were as high as Hux, get beaten back into place. Many of the other officers didn’t get the third option because they were expendable. Hux wasn’t, for now, but it meant he dealt with pain more often. 

Hux’s feet were bleeding for sure now and it was becoming harder and harder to suppress the pain. Hux’s face scrunched up and he kept biting into his hand. 

“Always so tough Armitage, so afraid to be vulnerable,” Pryde mocked in between the cracks of his whip. 

Ren could have warned him this was coming, but didn’t. Pryde wasn’t right about Ren, but he wasn’t wrong either. 

It was becoming unbearable. Hux began to let more whimpers which egged Pryde on further. 

Pryde suddenly stopped. Hux let out a sigh of relief. His body was trembling. He felt the tears in his eyes stay put for now. There was some pride in keeping himself from stress crying or crying from pain. 

Something dripped onto Hux’s feet.

Hux couldn’t help but scream. 

“What, don’t like acidic substances in your wounds? Oh please, some planets use this stuff to disinfect their wounds. Don’t be such a _baby_ , Armitage,” Pryde taunted, watching Hux wriggle in pain. 

Hux’s face scrunched up and his hands folded into a fist. He thought he was doing it for his son, but Hux began to think it was more to appease Ren’s errors.

 

///

 

Ren stormed through the halls of the Supremacy. Gyro and Arla Ren were following him hurriedly as if to be concerned for their master. Ren had handed off Ares to Arla so he could find Hux without upsetting Ares. Ares kept crying and whining anyhow, no matter who held him. Ren's heavy breathing could be heard through his vocoder as he panted angrily. 

“Master, maybe we should leave the General to his meeting—” Gyro tried to suggest. 

“No, I must see the General,” Ren insisted. He glanced back to Arla, who was trying to comfort Ares while power walking. “Did I say to follow me? Go to your quarters and care for him there!” 

“Excuse me I didn’t ask to take care of your sithspawn. Besides, it’s obvious he wants General Hux. We aren’t exactly in the right mind frame or have the right ‘look’ to comfort the baby,” Arla said, continuing to test the waters with her already agitated master. “Why did you hand it to me?”

“Yeah, I wanted to hold him. Is it because Arla’s female? She doesn’t exactly have a motherly touch,” Gyro protested. Arla snarled at him. 

“Just be quiet! Both of you!” Ren yelled, stopping and turning to face them. They both bowed their hands.

Ren looked at Ares’s crying face and softened. He let out a sigh. He could feel Arla attempting to sense his emotions and blocked her out. She was an intrusive little thing. 

There was the distant sound of a pained scream down the hall. Ren froze. He felt his body shiver, realizing Hux was in danger. Ares let out a loud cry and Arla rocked him, putting a hand near his head to try to use the Force to calm him. 

Ren tried to rush down the hall by Gyro grabbed him by the arm. It was an unprofessional and abnormal gesture for the knight. Ren suppressed his desire to slamming Gyro against the nearest wall.

“Master Snoke wants General Hux to be in his meeting alone,” Gyro said, his voice sounding empty. 

It took a moment for Ren to understand what that meant. 

It was his punishment. 

“You… you knew,” Ren stammered. Gyro looked down shamefully. 

“I apologize for the hush-hush. Supreme Leader Snoke said that you must undergo this transformation through the punishment of the General,” Gyro tried to explain. Ren looked to Arla as if the girl had known as well.

She said nothing and patted Ares’s back, indicating in her own way that she knew Ren would do nothing. He had to do nothing. It was ordered of him.

So Ren and the two knights waited in the hall, silent and cold. Ares calmed down only slightly. His crying was less violent. Arla wanted to hand Ares back to his father but remained complacent. She figured Ren was seething too much to be fatherly. She didn’t particularly want to hold Ren’s baby, but Ares did nothing wrong to deserve her resentment. 

For Ren, it felt like an eternity as he sensed Hux’s pained cries. Hux wouldn’t be caught dead wallowing in his weakness, so Ren knew what he was going through was exponentially painful. 

The cries stopped and so did Ares. Ares proceeded to babble hopelessly, disgusting Arla by the drool he had begun to produce. 

The door at the end of the hall opened and Allegiant General Pryde stepped out. He was adjusting his gloves on his wrist, not prepared for the Knights of Ren waiting for him outside. The man looked sweaty and seemed to be catching his breath. For half a second, he revealed that he felt threatened by the dark figures, but then realized they can’t touch him. There’s a drop of blood on his chin that only Ren would notice from afar. Ren clenched his fist but keeps quiet. 

“Ah, an audience. Lovely.” the allegiant general said. Nobody spoke. “Well, I’ll be off then. Long live the Supreme Leader.” 

Pryde walked off like it was nothing. They weren’t sure if he had even noticed Ares, who was oddly quiet in Arla’s arms. Ren waited until Pryde was out of sight to rush to the door at the end of the hall.

Gyro called out to warn him, the two knights cautiously following behind, but Ren would not listen. Instead, he forced the door open and shut it swiftly behind him, forcing the two to wait idly with his child. 

Inside the room had an oddly dark gradient of shadows despite the blaring lightings behind decorative paneling. Hux was sitting at the end of the massage table, his feet being looked at by a nurse droid. 

Ren cringed, catching sight of the red, swollen mess that was Hux’s feet. Hux’s head turned as Ren entered. He picked up the nearest item, which happened to be a glass vial the droid left on the table, and chucked it at Ren, his eyes filled with hatred. It didn’t hit Ren but instead smashed into the wall beside him, leaving behind a wet mark. The liquid inside smelled extremely potent, like some sort of rubbing alcohol. 

“Get out!” Hux yelled. His face was flushed and he drew his legs up near his chest despite the droid trying to tend to him.

Ren realized he didn’t know what to say. He just continued to stare at Hux, noticing the man’s blotchy red face and red eyes. He obviously had been crying stressfully. 

One of Hux’s hands were ungloved and Ren noticed the bloody stains on his skin. It looked like Hux had bitten himself. 

Hux let out a pained sigh as the droid tried to coax Hux to put his legs out again so it could continue treating his wounds. He’d have to soak his feet in bacta daily for at least a week or two. The treatment he was getting currently would allow him to walk, but it would be painful. 

Ren was searching for anything to say. To an extent, he knew it was his fault.

He knew Hux blamed him. 

Hux kept looking between Ren and the droid, overloaded with emotions.

“You—” Ren couldn’t get a sentence out before Hux fumed at him again. 

“Where’s Ares? What did you do? Why can’t you just do one thing I ask of you! You really are just a blockhead, fucking prick.” Hux empathized his last word as the droid put cleansing alcohol onto his feet. 

Ren clenched his fist. He knew Hux was beyond upset but he couldn’t stand to hear the General talk to him so poorly. Ren didn’t want Hux to get hurt, he didn’t ask for it, yet Hux blamed him for more than he should’ve been credited for in Ren’s mind. 

Ren wanted to say something somewhat collected and understanding, but he couldn’t contain himself. 

“Watch your tone with me General,” Ren demanded. 

“Watch my tone? You waltz in here like it’s nothing without my son and you expect me to what? Bat my eyelashes! Oh, Ren my savior! Thank you for letting me get abused by my superiors! My hero is here to come to cuddle me like some princess!” He mocked. Ren’s chest began to feel warm and his stomach bubbled. 

“I didn’t ask for this to happen.”

“Yet you let it. You could’ve warned me or anything but you just stood idly like the self-preserving child you are,” Hux said darkly. He sighed and mumbled to himself, “I should have known better.” 

Ren stormed over to Hux and looked down at him. Ren’s largeness was very apparent to Hux. Hux shrunk back slightly but kept his eyes narrowed. 

“I am trying to be amiable yet you are too stubborn to see I am. What your superiors do to you is not my business.” 

It was the wrong choice of words. Ren knew it yet his emotions got the best of his intelligence. Hux thought of Ren as having no intelligence. 

“Get out of my face,” Hux said through gritted teeth. His teeth were clenched from a mixture of both pain and anger. 

“You want things from me but never let me give you what you need, General,” Ren told Hux cryptically. 

Hux leaned forward, getting into Ren’s face seeing that Ren refused to leave him be. Hux half thought to headbutt Ren, even if it meant a sorrowful headache from hitting his helmet. 

“You are an unfit parent. You know nothing of what others need, you just know what you want you pathetic child. You are nothing to me and won’t be anything to Ares at this rate, given your self preserving temperament.” The General let out an angry laugh. “It’s ironic that you know nothing about how to care for people or about being useful given that you come from just a privileged bunch! It’s really a shame you threw everything anyway just to be nothing.” 

Ren grabbed Hux by the throat. Hux gasped and fell back onto the massage table. The robot scurried backward and then was pushed by the Force. It hit the wall and its systems were paralyzed for a moment from the impact. 

Hux gasped and put his hand on Ren’s wrist, squeezing it but not pulling Ren off. Ren squeezed Hux’s throat just enough to let Hux breathe uncomfortably. 

Ren felt like he was sweating immensely as he held Hux’s throat within his heads. His breathing was shaky and noisy through his vocoder. Hux didn’t have the strength to push Ren off and his feet were too bloody and ruined to kick Ren either. He was trapped, helpless to Ren and at his mercy. 

He could do it. Somewhere in the darkest corners of his mind, he was calculating the risk and reward of suffocating the General. He would be free of distractions, that would be for certain, and Ares would not have Hux’s influence. There was no doubt in Ren’s mind that Hux would turn Ares against him, even as a baby. 

Ren reasoned to some degree that it had to be merciful. Hux would never escape the abuse of his mind and the abuse from his fellow officers. It could be the right thing to do. He could turn it on Pryde. He could blame that roach of a man who hurt Hux so violently and watch him be taken down by Hux’s loyalist subordinates.

As he was thinking through it, Hux was losing air and his mind was becoming fuzzy. Ren wasn’t focused much either. He was just listening to the thoughts in his head. He saw Hux reach outwards to the side with his head turned. It would’ve been a pathetic move if Ren didn’t realize what Hux was yearning for.

Something touched Ren on the shoulder and he raised his free hand, tempted to push whatever it was away with the Force. The person grabbed his wrist before he could try. 

It was Arla. Ares was screaming in her arms. He hadn’t even heard the crying until he was looking at his son’s desperate little face. The static in Ren’s ears cleared up and he let go of Hux and stepped back.

Hux let out a loud cough. His face was redder than before and he was distressed but he still asked for Arla to hand over Ares. She did silently. Ren just watched, taking in the intensity of his actions. 

Hux wiped his lips and took Ares away from Arla, hugging the crying baby tightly against his chest. Despite Hux’s small form, he was trying to envelop Ares as carefully and safely against him as he could.

There were, after all, two hostile force users staring at him like he was mental. 

Hux kept glaring at them, silent like a large cat watching a predator walk too close to her kits. He bounced Ares and rubbed his back, trying to comfort the baby as he made it known that the others weren’t welcome.

Arla gently pulled on her Master’s shoulder, trying to coax him to leave but Ren shrugged her off. He wouldn’t let up the standoff. 

When Ares’s cries softened, Hux spoke.

“You will only see Ares when I allow it. Don’t enter my chambers without my permission.”

“Threatening to keep my son away from me? I’ll see him but since you are so convinced that you are better than everyone else, you can take the most care of Ares. Let’s see how you survive all these tasks set in front of you with a baby strapped to your side,” Ren told him. 

Arla shifted uncomfortably, “Master—”

Ren put his hand up as she shut up. The lady knight looked to her feet, pretending she wasn't intruding on a very private interaction. 

“The Supreme Leader may have let you be a father, but you are unstable and unworthy of parenthood. You only want to be there so you can make him a copy of yourself,” Hux mocked cruelly.

“You’re such a hypocrite, Hux,” Ren said in a snarky tone. 

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you to get the fuck out.”

With that, Ren left, storming out. Arla lagged behind him, checking on the two she was leaving. Hux didn’t want her pity if that was what she was feeling behind the mask. 

The door shut and Hux was finally alone with Ares. The droid was still rebooting, giving Hux enough time to collect himself and try to relax Ares.

Hux was still shaking, but he offered Ares a smile. The baby stared at his father then smiled at Hux back. 

Hux sniffled and kissed Ares on the head. He didn’t need Ren. He also certainly wouldn’t have Ren if he was going to be violent. Hux knew he could handle himself, he always had done it alone for the most part, but Ares wasn’t supposed to grow up in terrible conditions. Even when Snoke would husk Ares away, Hux would feel more satisfaction in knowing Ren didn’t corrupt Ares with such violent surroundings. 

Ren would deny is thoroughly, but Hux always thought Ren reminded him of Leia. He was like her, in some ways, minus the fact she wasn't such an impatient monster. He had seen General Leia speak, Hux knew her style and flow. She had a sarcastic bite and would not be dishonored, much like Ren. The main difference was that she wouldn’t crush your skull with the Force, at least as far as Hux was aware. 

Hux didn’t want Ares to be like Ren. He wanted Ares to have Ren’s physical prowess so he could protect himself, but he didn’t want Ren to show his son that pushing people around so obviously was the way to dominance. He needed to be cunning and have a brain.

The droids powered up again and Hux dangled his feet over the edge, holding Ares in his arms and humming to keep the baby calm. 

Hux drew in a shaky breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)  
> Follow me on Instagram [@starry.artemis](https://www.instagram.com/starry.artemis/)  
> leave a comment! ik this chapter is dark but we'll get through it together. even on the dark side, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. Or whatever is the equivalent to an evil light is. if you ever want me to add a chapter warning I may have missed, just kindly tell me!


	17. Fine by Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and we are back! here is more sad hux but i promise it's a little softer than from last time! he just wants to be a good dad despite, ya know, wanting to destroy the galaxy. but also, in come our favorite lieutenant!
> 
> cw: implied/mentioned unhealthy eating and (stim) habits, discussions of health/wellness,

In the first week of his injury, Hux had to soak his feet in bacta every time he got off his shift. It didn’t slide everyone’s notice that Hux was walking strangely and grimaced when he moved. During the first few days back on the Finalizer, some of the older officers joked about how Armitage was probably banging a superior. Quickly, most officers came to hear the rumor of how their General was beaten into submission for small, petty acts. There were two types of people who reacted to that rumor. Hux’s younger officers pitied their General, thinking he was too smart for his own good. The older officers smirked that Armitage got what he deserved. The collective reaction was that they should keep themselves quiet if they didn’t want the same to happen to them.

Some even wondered if Kylo Ren was the one to do it. Ren was less frequently found hovering near Hux, which relieved some officers, but a few noticed how Hux was more hostile than usual around Ren. Hux tended to be the more mature, leveled commander but he was very obviously trying to ignore Ren or make it clear he wasn’t wanted. It was worrying to them that someone was testing Ren’s patience. 

The General’s eyes used to display some sort of warmth and pride that motivated the younger officers, but now his eyes looked cold and distant. It was fitting for a General, yet strangely disheartening in a way they couldn’t explain. 

As for Hux, Ren and he were keeping their words. They both thought of themselves as the ones to have control over the situation. Hux thought he was keeping Ren away from Ares while Ren thought he was merely choosing when to see him. 

Their anger covered over any other underlying feelings.

Ares was quick to notice the sudden disappearance of one of his dads. He cried a lot at first, as babies do, but grew to find out that Hux was still there with him. Every day when Hux would return from his shift, Hux would put on the Baby Bjorn and work with Ares strapped to him. For a General, it was a ridiculous look but he had to balance being a ruthless General with being a caring father. 

Ren had not wandered his way into Hux's room, nor did he ever request to see his son. Hux wondered what the man was thinking then found himself caring less and less.

Overtime, Hux’s injuries healed and he and the baby got used to Ren being more absent. Ren’s missions began to become more frequent. While Ren was allowed to leave Ares behind, Hux had to stay and work on the ship while his son was a stowaway. Hux was also becoming more sleep-deprived than usual. 

Starkiller would be done by Ares’s first birthday and it would fire near after his second, Hux estimated (though he found it somewhat strange he was estimating the firing of a mega weapon in comparison to the birth of his son). Ares had to spend more time with the droid, but he was still growing quite healthily. 

Ares, currently, had mastered picking up blocks and trying to stack them. Well, he had mastered putting one block on another. To get to a tower of three would be a triumph. The stacking part was the most difficult. His tower of two was not ambitious enough.

Ares didn’t have any teeth yet at six months, but he was quite energetic and easily frustrated and chewed on things like a wolf pup. He scooted over to pick up another block and scooted back to his tower of two. He placed the block with a steady hand and—

The blocks fell. Ares sniffed and then began crying, waking up Hux from his couch nap. 

Hux hadn’t even realized he fell asleep but saw Ares sitting on the floor, crying to himself. The floor was a mess with colorful blocks. 

Ares had grown a ruffle of golden hair on his head. It still wasn’t a lot, but he was changing every day. Hux scooped Ares off the floor and patted his back. Ares loved to be held and in contact with others. He knew when he wasn’t being paid attention to and found it quite upsetting. He was also an explorative baby, that was for sure, always trying to win in little ways even when he wasn’t ready.

“You’re okay,” Hux tried to soothe. When Ares calmed, Hux let him sit by himself on the ice blue couch and began picking up the blocks, tucking them back into the box that sat under the coffee table. 

Hux was running strictly on caf and stims. He had been for months, especially now that Ren was away. Hux hadn’t seen the knights either, which was for the best. 

Hux yawned as he cleaned up, feeling more like a stay at home dad than a General. 

As Hux cleaned, Ares babbled to himself. Hux smiled at his son. He picked up the wampa plush off the floor and offered it to Ares.

“You want this?” Hux asked. Ares made little noises and put his hands out. Hux handed the plush to Ares and continued cleaning. 

Ares threw the wampa toy on the ground. Hux stared at it for a moment then picked it back up and handed it to Ares.

This process was repeated several times as Hux tried to clean up. Babies had an aggravating way to learn about the world around them. They needed to test their surroundings to learn about object permanence. When Ares threw an object out of sight and his dad returned it to him, he learned that two things. One: the object still existed outside his sightline and two: that his dad would help him in his endeavors. 

Ares threw the wampa again just as Hux was sitting down. Hux sighed but knew that Ares was learning. He bent over to pick up the wampa.

The toy moved away from him. Hux blinked blankly and tried to grab it again but it began to float. It floated back into Ares’s sightline. The baby giggled happily, watching as the toy floated upwards.

Hux started at the floating toy and listened to his giggling child, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He knew Ares was force sensitive but hadn’t seen the baby progress in his powers for the past six months. He didn’t know anything about force-sensitive babies.

He ought to tell Ren.

No, he ought to tell Snoke about the progress.

Hux shook his head a second time. He ought to not tell either of them and keep quiet. He wanted to tell Ren, but Ren still didn’t deserve to be around them. 

Hux grabbed the wampa toy from the air and handed it to Ares. Ares squeezed the toy and began chewing on its ear. 

Hux shut his eyes for a moment. All he wanted was a minute to rest. He felt like he hadn’t slept for months which, realistically, was true. There was too much on his plate and not enough time. Stims and caf could only give him so much resilience. 

He just needed a minute. 

When he jolted awake again, the NAN-E droid was in his face with its glowing, friendly eyes.

He hadn’t given it a name, even though there was an option too. He just called it “Nanny Droid.” He looked around to see that Ares was on the floor again, rolling around on a blanket. 

“Hello Master, I hope I didn't disturb you! Young Master Ares needs to be put down for a nap,” the droid explained.

Hux knew he could ask the droid to do so, but his pride told him that he had to do it himself. He always thought it was best to do as much for Ares by himself as possible. The droid was useful, but there were negative effects for letting a baby be raised too much by a droid. 

Hux slowly got up and picked Ares off the floor. Ares fussed a little, wanting to continue exploring his world and testing his limits. He cried stubbornly as Hux rubbed his back and bounced him. The droid watched. Hux walked about as he tried to get Ares to sleep. 

“Master Hux, I can help if you like. You appear tired. The baby may know you are not at your best,” the droid offered but he shook his head. 

He quietly continued to hold Ares until he relaxed and fell asleep. Hux put Ares back into his crib and plopped down onto his bed. He checked the time, seeing that he had to go to his shift in four hours. He pressed a pillow into his face, frustrated.

The droid appeared again. 

“Master,” the droid said in its feminine coded voice, “I highly think you should go to a doctor. You seem very out of it, it’s not good to be sick around the baby.”

“I’m not sick,” Hux said into the pillow. “I’m just tired. I have a lot of work. Just get me a stim.”

“I cannot advise you to put more stimulants into your body. You may overdose. I recommend a healthy diet and proper bed rest.” 

Hux tried not to snap at the hunk of mental trying to give him health advice. It was just trying to do its best for Ares. “I can’t sleep. I never do anyway. Besides I have too much work to do.”

“Yes but—”

“Power down,” Hux instructed sternly. The droid accepted the command and tucked itself away out of Hux’s sight. 

Hux threw the pillow off his face and turned on his side so he could stare at Ares’s crib. It was worrying to know that Hux would need another force sensitive to help control Ares’s powers. He didn’t want to have to watch his back constantly. He already was always on edge. 

His defenses were weaker now that he was more exhausted. 

Pryde hadn’t bothered him. Snoke didn’t ask about Ares. It should’ve blissful. 

He just needed a nap. Hux shut his eyes and took a deep breath. 

When he woke up again there was a droid and a woman staring into his face. He stared back, his vision somewhat blurred. For the first few seconds, he didn’t move. Realizing there was an intruder in his room, he pulled his mini blaster out from under his pillow and pointed it in her face. The woman yelped and backed up with her hands up.

It was Doctor Nikos. Hux flared his nostrils at her and tucked the blaster away. 

“How the hell did you get in my chambers?” He asked. He rolled his neck. 

“I’m sorry sir, the droid let me in. It has been hooked up to my comlink in case of emergencies. It sent a signal saying I was needed and let me in,” Doctor Nikos explained. 

Hux didn’t remember ever rigging the NAN-E droid to contact Doctor Nikos. He also didn’t remember giving it the ability to have permission to open doors. Perhaps that was preinstalled. 

Hux looked over to the crib, seeing that Ares was sitting up and staring at his wampa toy. Hux hoped Ares wouldn’t move it with his mind in front of the doctor. 

“Ares is perfectly healthy, I find it inappropriate that you come in here while I’m resting,” Hux scrutinized.  

“Oh, I’m not here to check on him. Your health is the concern.”

Hux glared at the droid. He couldn’t believe that a robot was also trying to nanny him instead of just his fucking baby. 

“I’m fine. I have just been working extra. It’s obviously draining but it’s nothing I can’t handle.” 

Doctor Nikos held up her datapad and scrolled through her notes. “It says here you’ve been taking excessive amounts of stims and that your most observed meal choice is caf. You’re going to seriously hurt yourself.” 

Hux massaged his temples, feeling another headache set in. 

“I’m. Fine,” he insisted more sternly. 

“No offense, sir, but you’ve been out of it for twelve hours so I don’t think you’re fine.”

Hux immediately jumped up. He was asleep for twelve hours? He missed his shift without notice. He couldn’t afford any slip-ups and this certainly wouldn’t pass Ren’s or Pryde’s notice (if anyone was petty enough to tell Pryde). 

He immediately got off the bed and went over to Ares to check on him. The baby seemed absolutely fine and didn’t smell. Hux suspected that the NAN-E droid had powered on when it heard Ares cry and took care of him itself. That also meant that Hux hadn’t heard Ares cry, which troubled him deeply. 

Ares babbled at his father and Hux held him against his chest. He looked up at his father’s glowing red hair and tried to reach up at it. 

“I must address my subordinates soon then, it is unacceptable for me to miss my shift,” Hux said, checking on Ares. He didn’t fuss like he usually did, meaning he was absolutely content. If Ares was unsatisfied with something, he loudly would let Hux know. 

“I’m certain your crew is quite capable without you,” Doctor Nikos tried to say reassuringly but she was only met with a cold glare. She bowed her head slightly. “I mean that I also made sure that you were known to be suddenly ill. They trust their doctors. Your shiny Captain also helped relay the message.” 

Hux tilted his head. “You told Captain Phasma?”

“I did. She seemed concerned about your absence so I reassured her that you had a mild cold, but didn’t want to spread it. I hope you don’t mind my improvisation. She looks very loyal.”

Hux did mind, in fact. He didn’t need Phasma prying into his business any more than she already was. She was trying to be subtle, but Hux knew she was curious. Her loyalties only stretched so far. 

“Looks can be deceiving,” Hux warned the Doctor, side-eyeing her menacingly. Even with a baby in his arms, Hux looked oddly scary.

Doctor Nikos found Ren and Hux equally scary but there was a key difference in the two men: Ren would snap when you most expect it but Hux was in the waiting game. Ren reacted quickly while Hux laid out his traps one by one. She didn’t want to catch the attention of either of their fury. 

Ares babbled louder and pulled on a strand of Hux’s loose hair. He huffed and gently pushed Ares’ hand away, his face softening at the baby. 

“I do think I should give you a check-up. I do want you in the best shape for fatherhood and to be the General, despite what you think.”

“Do not try to manipulate me into feeling bad,” Hux warned again before placing Ares back in the crib. Ares laid on his back and rolled about, much like a turtle who was stuck with his belly facing upwards.

“It’s just the truth, General. I’m sorry if it sounds that way,” Doctor Nikos said earnestly.

“If you want, Master, you can contact Ares’ other father so you may catch up on rest.” 

Hux twitched and immediately told the droid, “Absolutely not. Do not contact Kylo Ren in any capacity.” 

Doctor Nikos was bewildered by the General’s sudden snapping. Ares began to pout at his father's anger. Hux handed Ares a teething ring in the shape of a berry and Ares took it immediately and began to chew on it.

“Let's just have an appointment so I can return to work without you pestering me any further. When can we meet?”

“I can do it now, if you don’t mind,” Doctor Nikos offered. Hux did very much mind but knew he couldn’t snake his way out of her concerns without her getting Ren at all. They were never an official unit, and they certainly were never married, so Hux’s endeavors and issues didn’t have to include Ren for any reason. 

Hux solemnly followed Doctor Nikos to the medbay. There weren’t many people around during the gamma shift, and the medbay wasn’t guarded too rigorously if it wasn’t full of soldiers. 

The only alive thing seemed to be a new BB-9E droid that rolled past the two of them. Hux noticed that after it passed them that it turned around and started following Hux from a distance like a duckling. While the 9E ball droids were upgraded to be quieter as they rolled, they were still very audible with no one else around. The droid was probably pretending to survey them, Hux thought.

Hux didn’t like sitting in the ugly, open-backed disposable robes that people wore when they got checkups. He felt too exposed, even though it was just a doctor checking him. Similarly, Hux didn’t like doctors. He admired their practice but hated being caught in a room with one. Female doctors brought him slightly more comfort than their male counterparts because they tended to be more sympathetic (not that he wanted their sympathy). Too many times had male doctors made faces at him for being disappointed at how thin their General was.  

Doctor Nikos made a note of his skinny form. He knew she would, but was irritated she had the same reaction as his previous doctors. He was weighed and measured, feeling more like a prized pig than a patient. 

At the end of his checkup, Hux wanted to pass out. He kept stiffly upright and sneered at her as she read off all his issues.

“Much of this, I assume, is going to be obvious. Your weight has declined according to my comparison to your previous checkup. You, also, have been abusing stimulants and drinking too much caf and it’s very obvious. You have described your restlessness and your heartbeat is… irregular at times. Do you want to tell me anything else?” 

Hux stared at her for a good long minute, deciding if he actually wanted to talk to her. Despite being a doctor and it being her job, she was still a stranger. He was supposed to tell her his issues but still felt inclined to keep it all to himself. She weighed and checked his baby’s health almost monthly, yet Hux didn’t want her to tell him about his own health. 

He already knew he was dramatically deteriorating under the pressure of it all. He had to keep going. Ares needed him to succeed. 

“I have… nightmares,” he admitted cautiously. 

“Oh?” 

“More than usual, I mean.” It’s was all he was going to specify.

“And they keep you from sleeping for long periods?” Hux shrugged at her. “Abuse of caf and stimulants has also been linked to irregular sleep and having nightmares. Nightmares are also caused by extreme stress and anxiety. Do you have any, General Hux?”

“Do I have anxieties? I’m a General.” 

She paused. “Is that a yes?” 

“Just… what do I need to do.” 

“Other than stop just drinking caf and sticking stims in you like it is also caf, you need to start properly eating and drinking plenty of fluids and that also doesn’t mean alcohol.”

“Why do you assume I drink alcohol?” He asked, somewhat defensive.

Doctor Nikos scrolled through her holopad, somewhat distracted. “Huh? Well, many adults do, especially men of your type in stressful social environments. Someone also reported a concern about your drinking habits.” 

Hux shifted his jaw. His best guess was that it was another one of Pryde’s calculated ways to reminded him who was in charge. 

“I don’t drink frequently. I haven’t had much alcohol since Ares is born, I don’t have the time.” Hux scratched his nails against his palms. 

“This may sound unprofessional, General, but I believe what you truly need is someone to help you and not just the droid. I can see that you are reluctant to always let the droid watch over your child, which is a good thing to an extent because many studies show worrying health effects to children primarily raised by droids. However, you should have someone who can help you care for the child. Ares needs to interact with people as much as possible. If Lord Ren is out of the question then I could maybe help you find a human sitter, if you find it appropriate.” 

Hux’s face twitched at Doctor Nikos’s suggestion. He didn’t appreciate her describing Ren as an absent father who left them behind. Hux saw it more as him kicking out a temperamental child who wanted more attention than Ares. 

He did need an ally. He wanted to keep up with all his work and felt like it was a weakness if he asked for help. Ares needed someone to watch over him when he couldn’t.

He didn’t want it to be a stranger either. There were only a few names on his mind that he could remotely see watching Ares.

He’d sleep on his decision. Doctor Nikos, unfortunately, wanted to keep him on observation to make sure he would overdose on stims. Hux wouldn’t argue with her only so she wouldn’t think to take matters into her own hands.

Ren didn’t need to be involved any longer. It only added more unneeded stress into Hux’s already teetering sanity. 

 

///

 

Lieutenant Mitaka was quaking in his boots.

It was not because of Kylo Ren this time, thankfully. In fact, Kylo Ren hadn’t been on the Finalizer frequently in several months. He had been active on the front lines where he was most useful. Lieutenant Mitaka was quaking because General Hux had asked about the tea packets his mother sent him a while back. 

“I have a few. They aren’t the expiring type,” Mitaka had replied, perplexed. 

“I’d like to try some. Meet me in my quarters after your shift?” The General offered. Mitaka was immediately suspicious.

He trusted Hux and respected him, but being in a room with the General was intimidating. Men could disappear at the snap of his fingers and only a few of Mitaka’s similarly aged officers understood that Hux was a master of manipulating the mind. 

Mitaka, despite his loyalty to Hux, felt threatened. He didn’t think he did anything wrong as of late, in fact, he had received a bonus of an extra day for shore leave for his hard work (not that he had the desire or time to take shore leave). 

In his hand, Mitaka had the tea presser and the mixed tea bags as he made his way to the General’s quarters. At a certain point, the number of stormtroopers patrolling the area lessened. Mitaka would’ve thought to have more stormtroopers around to protect the General, but he also considered that General Hux was a private man. 

He hit the buzzer once he arrived at Hux’s quarters. He tried to calm himself, attempting to steady his breathing.

“Sir, it’s me, Lieutenant Mitaka,” Mitaka announced into the voice box that let Hux know who was at the door. 

The door opened a few moments after. Mitaka flushed upon seeing the General without his greatcoat and without gloves. His hair was slightly frayed despite only being out of his shift two hours earlier. For the General, this was a scandalous look.

“Ah, Mitaka. Thank you for coming,” Hux said passively then moved out of Mitaka’s way, inviting him in.

Mitaka entered cautiously. The first thing he noticed was of Hux’s ice blue couch. It was an odd decorating choice. Mitaka set the tea press and the bags on the coffee table and stood up straight.

Hux raised an eyebrow at him. “You can sit if you like.”

“I can actually make the tea now sir,” Mitaka said, catching himself from stuttering.

“Alright then. If that works for you.”

Mitaka thought that the interaction had to be some sort of test. Maybe Hux was looking for a reason to promote him or, alternatively, remove him from the ship. Mitaka quite liked the Finalizer. It was the type of ship that swelled pride in a man. 

Mitaka went to Hux’s kitchenette to start the tea, moving over what he brought. Hux sat on the couch and stared at his datapad, quiet. The silence irked Mitaka. 

As the tea began to boil, Mitaka noticed the drying rack sitting on the counter. It had the bottom of a baby bottle on it and the nipple of the bottle was sitting next to it. Mitaka glanced back at the General, seeing that he wasn’t staring, then looked at the device again to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. It was a baby bottle, no doubt about it. 

The tea finished and Mitaka snapped out of his thoughts before Hux could look up. He hurriedly brought the tea over. The nape of his neck began to feel sweaty.

Hux picked up a cup and blew on it before taking a sip. He made an odd face after trying it.

“You don’t like it, Sir?” Mitaka asked, half ready to die where he was sitting.

“No, it’s just sweeter than I usually have,” Hux replied, then took another sip. 

Mitaka began to notice the strange items around Hux’s chambers. He saw a blanket thrown over one of the arms of the couch. It was small and white with a silky blue trim. The design of the blanket had cute little stars with smiley faces. Mitaka was confused and even more felt threatened. 

There was a long awkward silence before either of them spoke again. 

“Was there something you wanted to talk to me about, General Hux Sir?” Mitaka asked. He repressed the desire to bounce his leg. He couldn’t expose her nervousness to Hux. 

Hux took another long sip, seeming to draw out the moment, then put his cup down. His blue-green eyes seemed soft, but his face was fierce. 

“Yes, actually. It’s very important to me. I think you’d be suitable if you’d accept.” 

“Oh? What is it?” Mitaka asked, also putting his cup down on a coaster.

“I warn you now Lieutenant, this may be a life-threatening task. You fail me or reveal this task to anyone, and I’ll erase you from the galaxy,” Hux warned. Mitaka felt himself freeze. “But I did choose you, so it does suggest I trust you enough to handle something so fragile. Tell me now if you decline and we can pretend this never happened.” 

Mitaka had never felt more pressure in his entire life. It was strange to think Hux wanted to share a secret with him, but it was surely a secret he’d have to take to his grave. He was frightened by the prospect of being trusted by Hux enough to help him in private affairs, but still not entirely trustworthy to let Hux not feel the need to make such serious threats. 

Hux did ask him out of everyone else in the entire galaxy. Surely, it meant something of galactic proportions. 

Mitaka lifted his head and nodded firmly. “I’ll accept General, Sir. If it means this much of you to ask me, I’ll do it.” 

Hux smiled lightly at his Lieutenant, impressed. Mitaka’s face warmed at seeing Hux’s little smile. 

Hux stood up. “Wait here a moment, Lieutenant?” 

Mitaka nodded, seeing that there was not much else he could do. Maybe now was when Hux would murder him. Or maybe Hux would show him something so priceless that it be the least obvious if Mitaka hid it, like a kyber crystal. 

Hux disappeared into his quarters. Mitaka sincerely couldn’t be mentally prepared for what Hux was bringing out to him.

Hux walked out slowly with a baby sleepily laying against his chest. Mitaka felt like his heart was choking. Perhaps he should have put it together, considering that he did see the baby bottle and the child’s blanket in Hux’s chambers. 

Mitaka realized that Hux knew he was going to say yes. The General could’ve easily removed all the baby items from his sightline and Mitaka would have never had a sneaking suspicion but the mere fact that General Hux had left all his possessions out meant that he calculated Mitaka’s reaction. 

The baby whined and flapped its little arms, yawning. The child turned his head to look at Mitaka, seeming confused.

"Oh, Sir, what’s uh… is this?” Mitaka couldn’t find the right words. He didn’t know how to react to his ruthless General holding something so small and fragile. 

“Lieutenant, this is my son. Ares.” Mitaka just blinked, his mouth agape like a fish.

Mitaka attempted to grasp for the right words, unsure of what to say. Though Hux’s face remained stern, his eyes seemed to contain a slight inkling of vulnerability that he was ashamed about. The Lieutenant didn’t want his General to believe he was disappointed in any way; he was just flabbergasted. 

“He looks like you,” was what Mitaka came up with. Hux patted Ares’s back awkwardly. “Uh, who’s the mother? Sir.” 

“He has no mother,” Hux said coldly. Mitaka didn’t feel the need to ask about Ares’s lineage. Hux was still withdrawn about the truth, despite his willingness to let Mitaka see a part of his private life. 

“Sir, are you letting me meet your child? Is that it?” Mitaka asked gently, worrying that his diction would anger the General. 

Hux sat down on his couch and let Ares sit in his lap, helping the baby sit upright. 

“That’s not entirely it, Lieutenant. Unfortunately, I appear to be doing too many tasks at once. While I have my capabilities, I am not willing to bet my son’s health and safety on my work schedule. I need someone to help me look after him when I can’t be there,” Hux explained. He took in a deep breath and exhaled. “He isn’t supposed to be known by anyone, but it appears I have overestimated myself. You are a fine lieutenant, one I find both trustworthy and good-hearted. I’m afraid those qualities are required for my personal use though.” 

Mitaka’s face twisted with worry and pity. Hux was, to an extent, manipulating that pity into Mitaka so he would undoubtedly be loyal to him and do anything for his General, but there was truth to what he was saying. 

“Sir, are you asking me to help you watch your baby?” Mitaka asked. Hux didn’t want to say it outright. He felt like it meant he was entirely useless. Seeing that Hux wouldn’t say yes specifically, Mitaka continued cautiously. “Sir, you can count on me anytime. The galaxy does need children and yours is very important.”

Hux repressed a smile but Mitaka noticed how the General perked up. It almost made Mitaka blush. 

“Thank you, Lieutenant. I hope I don’t have to explain why discretion is needed. I’ll work the schedules so it doesn’t look suspicious. Unfortunately, not everyone shares our ideals for bettering the lives of children.”

“That’s sad to think, Sir. I will not tell a soul,” Mitaka promised, making a zipping motion across his lips. 

“Best keep your thoughts closely guarded as well.” Mitaka’s face paled. In the back of his mind, he knew Kylo Ren would be the biggest threat to General Hux. It was grim to think that he was in a compromising situation in which Kylo Ren would find him to be a worthy victim. 

Mitaka squirmed in his seat, staring at the calm baby. Ares wasn’t always this calm, as Mitaka would find out soon enough, but he seemed like a very loving child. 

“Can I hold him, Sir? If you don’t mind. I have experience caring for my younger cousins so I think I have familiarity still.”

Hux looked down at Ares for a moment. Ares yawned and squirmed against Hux, trying to get the most comfortable. 

Reluctantly, Hux out a soft, “Alright.” 

Mitaka could tell how cautious the General was being with the baby. Mitaka slowly took Ares in his arms. He noticed how Hux’s face saddened ever so slightly. Mitaka was close enough to notice. The vulnerability of Hux made Mitaka feel pity for the General. 

Ares had red chubby cheeks and strawberry blond hair, and skin a little darker than the General’s but still pale. 

Quiet and still, Mitaka and Hux stayed in place and watched Ares wriggle around. 

Mitaka didn’t notice how Ares’s eyes were akin to Ren’s. He had never seen the knight’s eyes before. The brightness of Ares’s eyes just made him think of his fearless General.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank u! leave a comment and kudos! my updating may be slower I have a lot of hw and such. what do we think of mitaka coming in to help? i promise ren will come back... can't say if thats good or bad. both?
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)  
> Follow me on Instagram [@starry.artemis](https://www.instagram.com/starry.artemis/)


	18. Blood Thicker Than Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bet you thought you saw the last of me! nah i've just been super busy at university my brain is dying... also uh the knights of ren are obviously gonna be in TROS but my fanfic will be divergent of all that so, oops? i definitely wont finish before then. if lucasfilms doesn't give me more hux content then i'll just have to make some
> 
> have you gotten your tickets to TROS? I got opening day baby! anyway heres the next chapter. 
> 
> leave a comment and a kudos it means a lot!

Ren woke up with a painful gasp. He clenched his chest as if he feared that his heart had been ripped out of his rib cage like a fresh apple. 

He dreamt that a large beast had slashed through his chest, its claw much like Snoke’s. The beast wasn’t hungry for his heart, it just wanted to prove to Ren that he had one. Ren didn’t understand why it wanted to prove to him he was human, he knew that, but it unnerved him to think that there was a metaphor wrapped within his nightmare. He didn’t doubt that he was being mentally tortured by Snoke.

Between his mission to hunt down Skywalker and other force users, his training had become more and more intense. He was frequently drained of every ounce of energy within his body but he had to keep going forward.

He regretted not seeing Ares as commonly as he wanted to. He despised the slight tenderness his thoughts carried for his son as if he was worried that that care would make him weak. Ren told himself that he was getting stronger for his son so he could pass down his training to Ares without the same struggle. He wanted to master the powers of the dark side desperately. He could feel his potential stirring inside him, like a brewing storm. 

His punishments and teachings from Snoke were becoming increasingly violent, not that Ren said anything about it. He had been separated from his knights for a considerable amount of time. His wounds hurt less than the mental turmoil that gripped at his mind.

There was a nasty wound that had been scratched onto Ren’s face by Snoke’s hand. It would heal in time but Snoke used it as a message. He had received it for refusing to remove his helmet after an uncomfortable conversation about Ares’ future. Snoke knew that Ren couldn’t hide his conflict without his mask. It was one of his apprentice’s weaknesses. 

Ren had been stuck on a backwater planet for however many days, meditating and training alone. The quietness, which was made to make meditation easier, was slowly driving Ren insane. Staying calm now was a trial within itself. The slightest movements made him irrationally violent. 

Ren got up and headed out of the cave he was sleeping in, staring up at the grey sky. The days on the planet were often grey. The colorless planet added to Ren's slow descent into insanity. His eyes adjusted to the light and he rubbed his face. The wound on his cheek felt like it was healing, but he desired to just have bacta rubbed on it. 

Trudging through the thick woods, Ren headed for the river he had been drinking from. The water was fairly clean and didn’t need to be boiled constantly, but Ren took the effort to clean the water if he had the time. Minuscule tasks kept Ren's mind focused and leveled. If he felt like his tasks or place on the planet was pointless, he pretended that the point of it all was to help Ares in some unknown way. The Force similarly wanted him to become stronger, not only for Ares but for the galaxy itself. At least, that's what Ren believed.

The planet had a certain force-infested quality to it that caused Ren to hear voices that whispered in his head. The words weren’t easy to understand. Ren did his best to push away the whispers with the Force, as he assumed it was part of his training.

The noises were oddly quiet today. Ren wasn’t even attempting to push them away, they were just gone. He wasn’t sure to be concerned or relieved. 

The peace didn't last long. As he got closer to the river, a voice came to his head. 

“Go to sleep,” the voice said, soft yet irritated. Ren looked over his right shoulder as if the voice was actually behind him.

He shook it off but kept walking. The voice persisted. Ren smacked the side of his head as if the voice would fall out of his ear. 

“Ares please, go to sleep.” 

Ren spun around with tremendous force. His eyes were wide and his chest began to rise and fall quickly. 

There was nobody behind him. He knew the voice had to be Hux’s, but he wasn’t sure where it came from. The Force may have been messing with him, but he figured there was a chance that he could be hearing Hux’s voice from afar, though it was unlikely. He didn’t have any sort of force bond with Hux.

He could be hearing what Ares heard. It seemed improbable too, but there was still a possibility. He heard stories of Luke Skywalker being connected to Darth Vader due to their kinship. 

Ren saw a flash of something orange dash by a distant tree like a bright phantom. 

He turned to the right abruptly to catch sight of the moving orange ghost. There was nothing around him. Ren rubbed his eyes and blinked, making sure that he was imagining it and not in fact being watched by the General. Hux was the only ginger he knew, after all. 

Ren swallowed and slowly kept moving forward, his legs feeling strangely shaky. There was the sound of rustling nearby. Ren spun around to the right again. This time he caught the eye of General. At least, Ren assumed it was Hux. He didn’t know if he was real but Hux sprinted off. Hux was clutching something in his arms. Ren could only assume it was Ares wrapped safely against Hux’s chest.

 _How big was Ares now?_ Ren wondered. He couldn’t exactly pinpoint the growth milestone he last saw Ares hit. He must’ve been babbling ruthlessly by now. 

Ren chased after the mysterious General despite his doubt. The pull of Hux and his son was greater than his judgment. He knew Snoke would know if his shortcomings and further be disappointed.

Hux was masterful at weaving through the trees and shrubbery. Ren was less graceful in his running as he slashed through shrubbery with his saber and pushed branches out of his way. 

Gasping and panting, Ren finally made it to a clearing where the forest stood on the edge of a cliff. Hux was standing at the edge, a baby hugged tightly against his chest. Ren tried to catch his breath.

It was his vision of Hux plunging off the edge of the cliff, it had to be. Ren still couldn’t conclude if he was imagining the whole scenario or if Hux was really there but his mind was fuzzy; he was beginning to feel feral and desperate. The whole chase felt surreal as if he was fading in and out of consciousness. 

Hux’s eyes were blank. 

“Hux, what are you doing?” Ren asked. He felt out of his mind. Something in his head felt wrong. His stomach twisted and tumbled. 

“You were gone,” Hux answered plainly. 

“What?”

“What will you get out of all this?” Hux asked. Ren didn’t know what he meant. He shook his head. 

“Hux, step away from the edge. This isn’t like you.”

“No Ren,” Hux said, his face more serious, “this is unlike you to be so adamant about me and Ares.”

Ren was still panting from running through the woods. Hux, on the other hand, was calm as a gentle river. When Ren tried to reach out to Hux through the Force, he felt the Force shock him and he pulled away. “He’s my son! Hux step away from that ledge or I’ll make you!”

Ren stopped his foot childishly. The baby began to cry. Hux glanced down at the bundle solemnly and looked over the edge. Ren’s eyes dilated.

“You can’t make me do anything. You can surely try to terrorize me, but you’ll never succeed in getting what you actually want.” 

There was no talking to Hux, or whatever was standing in front of him. Ren’s ears began to ring. He didn’t have the patience to argue. Instead, he charged at Hux. Everything sounded strange and buzzed like static; Ren's eyes hurt and his throat began to feel dry.

The General opted to fall backward. Ren went to grab him before he could fall but found that Hux was, in fact, a figment of his imagination and found himself falling off the cliff instead. The bottom wasn’t far but Ren hit the side of the cliff violently and rolled to the bottom, grunting and yelling in pain as he did so.

He felt the rocks and ledges jab into him as he rolled. Ren ended up on his back, panting painfully. He held his hands up, watching them shake in his blurry version. He still expected to be holding something of Hux’s despite his tumble. 

The sun beat down onto the right side of Ren’s face through the trees. He squinted his eyes at the unbearable light. Ren slowly tried to sit up but felt immense pain in his body. He gasped and let himself fall back onto the dirt, letting the small rocks continue digging into his wounds. 

Ren didn’t think he was dying. It would be a pathetic way to die. He wasn’t doing his greatest, despite his confidence in his strength. It hurt everywhere; when he moved it felt like there was lemon juice flowing through his veins as if they were open wounds. Ren was used to the pain but his body didn’t want him to exert himself. It was too much for once. 

On Ren’s left wrist was a bracelet with a homing device. One click and someone will come to retrieve him and return him to the Finalizer. He knew it would signal to Snoke that he was a failure. 

His eyesight worsened and he felt his head throb. He didn’t know why the Force was toying with him now. He had conquered many dark plagues in his mind and learned to control them, but he still knew he wasn’t as advanced as Snoke wanted him to be. The dark side powerful and secretive. Ren hoped to unlock its secrets.

With his consciousness weening, he decided to press the homing device. Its mocking beeping was all he heard before he disappointedly faded into the black.

///

When Ren awoke again, he found himself on a spaceship that rocked and shook unsteadily. The ship was sleek black and strangely smelt of flowers and fire. His body ached and he felt like a mile away from death, but he was alive. 

He turned his head to find that he was in a small shuttle. In front of him was an open door that peered into the cockpit. He could see a helmeted head piloting the shuttle. Ren let out a dramatic moan and smacked his head back down onto the pillow. 

The pilot, Arla Ren, turned back to look at her awakened leader. Although her face was covered by her gridded mask, she still managed to look upset. She groaned in annoyance and unbuckled herself. She got up and went over to Ren’s side, crossing her arms. He didn’t look to her, knowing that behind her mask she was shaming him. 

“Good morning princess,” she mocked. “Enjoy your nap?” 

“No. I think I broke something and I’m pretty sure I’m still bleeding. Why didn’t you put bacta on all my wounds?” 

“I can’t help you with anything internal, I’m not a doctor. I wrapped your wounds and put bacta on anything on the outside that seemed like it needed it,” she explained. He realized he wasn’t wearing his boots and a layer of his clothing had been removed, but she seemed to have not fully exposed his chest. “I couldn’t get to your back. You kept… you were in too much pain.” 

“It’s fine,” he said stubbornly, sensing the pity in her voice. “Does Supreme Leader Snoke know?”

“I mean, I didn’t personally tell him but he most likely is aware that you’ve been retrieved. I’m taking you back to the Finalizer.” 

“Why the Finalizer?”

Arla gave him a quizzical look, despite her helmet. “What do you mean ‘why the Finalizer?’ It’s your ship. And your hubby and baby are on that ship, what’s the problem? There are doctors onboard you need and it’s the easiest to travel to.” 

Ren grimaced at her. “Don’t call him my hubby, you indigent little girl.” 

“I’m the little girl? You sure are crying like one. Be grateful I picked you up. I’m sure if I asked Snoke first he would have left you there to bleed and die. And your General surely wouldn’t have wasted his time to pick you up.”  

“You’re wrong,” Ren said defensively. Arla let out a cruel laugh, although she wasn’t sure what he was telling her she was wrong about.

“You think so? You may have your uses Kylo, but you are not above punishment. Why did you end up jumping off a cliff? Hm?” 

Ren kept silent. He figured Arla already had a near-correct suspicion of his shortcomings. She didn’t press on him for more information after that. Despite her lack of self-restraint towards her master, she still respected Ren and knew he was above her. She went back to steering the ship, letting Ren drift in and out of sleep for the next few hours. 

He didn’t dream, but he tried to. He tried to imagine Ares in his head as he slept but found that for some reason he couldn’t picture him. Ren knew what Ares looked like, of course, but his mind wouldn’t let him see Ares. It was a frustrating affair. He could visualize Hux still, but his mind would only let him see the back of his head.

When Ren woke up again, he found himself in the medbay. He was under a thin blanket and stripped completely naked. All he had were his bandages. He could feel cold bacta gel covering different parts of his body. The bright white of his medbay room was physically painful to wake up to. He didn’t know how Arla managed to get him all the way to the medbay without awakening him. Slowly, Ren sat up and felt all his nerves cry out in pain. 

He sat on the edge of the table and let his body slowly get used to being upright. He didn’t know why he wasn’t sitting in a bacta tank with all his injuries but he’d take what he could get at the moment.

Ren hadn’t stepped foot on the Finalizer in a long while. Sure he had been training and leading his armies, but there was something strangely cathartic about being back in a place he knew he was allowed to settle in. 

He figured Arla Ren had dropped him off silently and then left him to go about her own secretive missions. At times, Ren didn’t know what she was up to. He didn’t always keep full tabs on all his knights but had full confidence that they were loyal to him and would answer anytime he called. He wasn't allowed to always keep tabs on them either; Supreme Leader Snoke didn't want him to become too attached to them or rely on them heavily. Ren had a suspicion that in Snoke's eyes, they were all easily replaceable. 

Ren took a deep breath and searched for Ares with the Force. Ares’ light in the Force was always active and tended to search out for other lifeforms. It was easy to learn that Ares had a natural inclination to search for a warm, comforting, familiar energy in the Force. Ares’ energy was calm and suggested he was being entertained. Through Ares, Ren could usually find Hux as well. 

There was a strange energy around Ares, one he was unfamiliar with. Ren grew curious and worried about his son. His brain kept begging him to see Ares, and Ren desperately wanted to, but he continued to consider what Snoke would see as appropriate.

Ren concluded that he was in trouble anyway and that seeing his son would not be detrimental. The boy didn’t have a positive force-sensitive influence in his life when Ren was gone. Ren thought it would be good for Ares to feel another force-sensitive around. 

The strange energy wasn’t intimidating, but Ren found it to be threatening. He didn’t know what the mysterious person or thing was doing around his child. Ren slowly got off the table, looking around for something to wear. His clothes were hanging on a hook and his helmet was sitting on a table next to them. He didn’t recall having his helmet on the ship and wondered if Arla had gone and found his helmet or if his memory was just that jagged. 

He painfully slipped on his clothes and helmet, ignoring the fact that he was just starting to heal. Ren swiftly left the medbay and strode his way to Hux’s chambers to see what the mysterious energy was.

The walls of the Finalizer hadn’t changed. Ren didn’t know why he thought they would. He felt like an invader on his own ship because of how long he was gone. 

Few stormtroopers saw him storming through the halls and stepped out of his path. Their minds would quake with worry knowing their infamous co-commander returned. The cadets saluted at him but Ren ignored everyone who even noticed him passing. 

By the time he arrived outside of Hux’s door, he could sense Ares becoming more lively. He inhaled sharply, feeling a strange sense of pride in knowing his son could sense his arrival. Ren put in the code to Hux’s keypad but was quick to find that Hux had changed the passcode and locked Ren out of the system. Ren growled to himself. Ren then used the Force to pry the door open.

Ren entered the room to see Lieutenant Mitaka holding Ares and dangling a set of toys keys in front of his face. Mitaka immediately froze when he saw Kylo Ren enter. He dropped the toy out of shock and turned deadly pale in color. Ares pouted as he watched the keys fall. 

The first thing Ren noticed after Mitaka was Ares and how he changed. He was noticeably bigger and chubby in a different way. He had wild golden curls on his head and was noticeably a more active and aware child. Ares looked to Ren curiously but didn’t know how to react. 

Ren felt rage build up in his chest. He didn’t know why Mitaka was holding his son in Hux’s quarters. The confusion made him want to choke Mitaka to death. The only thing stopping him was Ares sitting in Mitaka’s lap. 

“What the hell is this?” Ren bellowed through his mask. Lieutenant Mitaka trembled. 

“Lord Ren! How— Why are you here?” Mitaka said as if he had the right in Lord Ren’s eyes. Ren fumed the lieutenant. The man was too insignificant to even look at his son. 

“What are you doing with him!” Ren yelled. He didn’t know if it was right to mention Ares was his son at that moment. He didn’t know what Mitaka knew but he already disapproved about his existence around Ares. 

Mitaka pressed a button that was located on a bracelet around his wrist. It was similar to the one Ren wore when Arla came to retrieve him, but Ren didn’t notice it because he was too focused on Ares. Mitaka stood up with Ares in his arm.

Ares, not being able to read a room, smile and babbled and stuck his arms out towards Ren. Ren could feel his curious energy poking at Ren, remembering where the energy was from. 

“Dadda!” Ares said happily. Ren froze.

Ares spoke. He didn’t know Ares could now speak. How long had it been? Ares seemed to remember him or at the very least, he certainly didn’t fear Ren. Ren felt proud that Ares spoke and his heart swelled, but then his heart snuck as he realized how much he missed. 

Mitaka rubbed Ares’ back, still visibly trembling. Worry crept into Ren’s mind as he watched Mitaka try to bring his son into a sense of calmness. Mitaka was one of Hux’s loyal servants, but the thought of anyone knowing about Ares was dangerous. Ren couldn’t bear to see such a lowly, replaceable man touch someone so valuable and so precious as if he had the right to even look. 

“Hush Ares,” Mitaka said softly, his eyes looking over nervously to the baby, “Your dad will be coming soon.” 

Mitaka was oblivious to his ignorance in the situation but instead of being relieved, Ren was filled with a new kind of fury. 

“Give me the child,” Ren demanding, taking a step forward. Mitaka took a step back and Ren felt his eye twitch. Ren wanted to strangle Mitaka but knew he’d risk hurting Ares. 

“Sir I don’t think you are in the right state of mind to hold a baby—”

He sounded like a much more timid version of Hux. Ren stomped his foot loudly, “I know how to hold a baby! Hand it over, you have no right to refuse me!”

“Yes, I do!” Mitaka yelled back bravely, his eyes shut for a moment. Ren was surprised at Mitaka’s outburst, believing him to be meek. It would’ve been impressive if Mitaka wasn’t cradling his son. 

Ares babbled to himself, confused. He was getting stressed and sniffled, threatening to cry. They both looked to Ares then to each other.

Ares cried, “Da! Da!” 

Sure enough, Hux came bursting through the door. Everyone turned to look at Hux. His breathing was slightly fast and his cheeks were reddened, suggesting he had rushed back to his room. Ren only then realized Mitaka signaled for Hux’s help. He wanted to yell at the lieutenant about how pathetic he was to call for Hux. As if Hux could protect him from anything. 

Hux’s eyes were wild and bright. Ren was first in his sightline and it filled him with a perpetual rage to see him. The sight of the masked knight was baffling, especially after his absence. 

Despite Ren’s dominating presence, Hux pushed past him and went straight for Ares. Ren just watched as Hux took Ares from Mitaka’s arms to comfort the child. Mitaka was still shaking like a leaf. 

“Get. Out,” Hux articulated clearly through his teeth. Ares stopped crying but was still upset. He kept babbling “da” or any sound close to it. Ares pushed his face into Hux’s arm. 

“You and your lieutenant seemingly have similar problems, you think you can command me,” Ren said spitefully. 

“And you think you can break into my room and harass my lieutenant and scare my son!” Hux said. Mitaka nervously side-eyed Hux; he was surprised to hear the General admit that Ares was his son so quickly.

Despite his fury, Hux was a beam of beauty. Ren’s eyes couldn’t help but notice that Hux looked healthier and that his eyes were brighter. Sure, they were bright with rage but he was still enthralling. His face was well sculpted and his hair was a flaming orange. Ren didn’t know what changed. The only thing he knew what that he was gone for a long period of time, and now Hux looked refreshed. It hurt him slightly to think Ares and Hux were better off without him. No matter what small bits of happiness or light crossed Ren’s mind, he was still engulfed by his anger.

Ren couldn’t destroy anything to release his rage so instead, he screamed, “He’s my son too!”

Hux turned pale and everyone, but Ares, froze. Ares let out a little yelp as if he understood that Ren was acknowledging him. Ares put his chubby little hand out to Ren. To Ren, Ares’s little hand meant forgiveness for hurting his other father. Hux certainly wasn’t going to trust him, but Ren felt a strange song of hope seeing that Ares wanted him still. 

“Wait— You and him? Ares is? What?” Mitaka babbled hopelessly, his fragile mind unable to comprehend a relationship between Kylo Ren and General Hux. 

Hux’s lips tightened into a line and he glared at Ren as if to say ‘see what you did you, idiot?’ His cheeks were flushed a bright red. Ren’s immediate reaction was to put his hand out and begin to try to crush Mitaka’s windpipe. 

Mitaka choked and grappled at a hand around his neck that wasn’t there. His face turned red and his eyes were wide and bulging. Nobody was supposed to know. Mitaka was too much of a liability. Ares began to sob. He was easily startled by conflict and didn’t yet know how to react to the Force. 

Hux gasped and looked to his lieutenant who was helplessly trying to find air. Hux dug into a secret compartment in his uniform and pulled out a small blaster and pointed it at Ren. The contrast between the small child and Hux’s blaster boggled Ren’s mind. They stared at each other, motionless. 

“Put. Him. Down,” Hux articulated through gritted teeth. Ren wanted to pop Mitaka’s head clean off at that moment.

“Unfortunately, this arrangement between you and the lieutenant will not work.” Mitaka made a particularly loud gasping noise as Ren articulated ‘work.’ 

They stared at one another for a silent moment, letting Mitaka struggle to breathe. Ren couldn’t tell if Hux was bluffing and he wasn’t at a far enough distance to quickly and accurately block the blaster fire. Hux’s finger twitched against the trigger. 

“Da… Mah,” Ares said. He put his little hand out again and clenched his fingers as if to mimic his father’s fearsome stance. Ren felt the Force move ever so slightly against his hands and then dropped Mitaka onto the floor. The Lieutenant sputtered and coughed, holding his neck and taking in all the air he could get.

Ren and Hux were still stuck in position as Hux refused to put down his blaster. “Mitaka, leave. And don’t say a word,” Hux said darkly. 

The lieutenant stayed on the ground as he tried to recover from Ren’s assault. Once he was mostly lucid, Mitaka rushed out the door with his lips in a tight, stressed line as if to say “I would never speak against you.”

The door closed and Mitaka was gone but Hux did not put down his weapon. He looked a shade paler than usual and his breathing was slightly unsteady. Ren could sense his nerves. Ares didn’t comprehend the situation or, alternatively, he did not think his parents would fight again. Ares missed Ren and knew the man in front of his papa was his father, but the sight of Ren’s black-clad robes and helmet confused him. His eyes were still young and developing, but even Ares knew this was a trick. 

“Easy now General, you certainly don’t want to create a mess,” Ren said, some of his words managing to slur. He felt a sudden pain in his left breast but ignored it. Hux’s eyebrow twitched and he stayed in place.

“Like you haven’t already created a mess. What are you doing back here? I told you to stay away.” 

Ren suddenly felt cold but ignored the feeling. He was too focused on the sight of Hux and Ares again. A desire to obtain them filled him. They were in front of him yet so out of reach. He hadn’t forgotten Snoke’s words or Hux’s demands. It was hard to forget.

“I sensed a disturbance. Little did I know you and that Lieutenant Mitaka have been conspiring!” 

“Conspiring?” Hux said, appalled. Hux tucked his blaster away. “If you haven’t noticed, Ren, I’ve had to do more tasks than is humanly possible! My lieutenant is trustworthy. I don’t even see why you care. It’s not like you see Ares enough anyway.” 

“He’s still my son!” Ren shouted, clenching his fist and making himself look bigger. Hux shrunk back slightly and hugged Ares tighter against him. 

“Da? Baa baa… Da?” Ares whined, his little face appearing upset. Ares jut his lip out and sniffled, threatening to cry. He put his hands out again. Hux looked to him with uncertainty, clearly unwilling to give Ares over to Ren. 

Hux put his nose into Ares’ hair and shut his eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath. He glared back at Ren, still unwilling to move. Ren felt his chest constrict. Ren removed his helmet and shook out his sweaty hair. He wanted Ares to see him.

Hux’s face softened once he saw Ren’s scratched up face. “What happened to you?” Hux asked, uncertain of himself. 

“I fell.” He paused and Hux watched him, waiting for an actual answer. Ren grimaced at the General, but his sneer was mainly caused by a sudden pain in his chest. “I fell off a cliff.”

“Were you in the medbay?”

“Nevermind that. I do think we have much to discuss, General.” 

Ren’s legs began to tremble and his stomach twisted. His breathing felt rough like he was trying to breathe into a pillow. His eyes blinked rapidly as he tried to regain his composure. 

Hux’s lips were moving, but no sound was coming out. He stared at Ares, seeing the light eyes of his son watch Ren intensely. The Force poked at him softly, as if to tell him to keep his eyes wide. Ares really did have Hux’s bright, dangerous eyes. 

The world seemed to distort and sway; the lights of the room began to flicker like starlight as Ren tried to focus on Ares. Ares looked like he was crying again, but Ren heard no noise. He was a beautiful child. He really had many of Hux's features. 

“Ren!” Was all he heard before the world went black. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reunited at last,, er that may be a bad thing. again, this will obviously be VERY divergent of TROS but maybe when I see the film I'll have some moments in the fic somewhat related? idk. let's be real Ren is gonna get destroyed (and if he doesn't i may be disappointed) but hey at least here he wont be destroyed post TLJ! 
> 
> F's in chat for Ren tbh he's a disaster 
> 
> leave a comment! i'll upload when I have time to breathe sorry for making everyone wait
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)


	19. Love is for Fools

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> every day we inch closer to TROS and every day we grow farther from canon in this story lol. at least on this day we were blessed with Domhnall content hurray! i'm pretty burned out and am procrastinating on my actual work but hey here's a chapter!
> 
> here's more ares, hux, and kylo family dynamic!
> 
> leave a comment it means a lot!

When Ren awoke, he found himself half-naked with new bandages wrapped around his injured body. His face felt cold and wet. He slowly reached up to touch his cheek, finding that there was leftover bacta residue over his cuts. He still felt some pain in his body, but he had noticeably improved from his previous state. Ren heard a soft babbling next to him and looked over to find Ares sitting near him, staring at him. 

“Hello,” Ren said somewhat awkwardly to his son. Ares blinked. “What have you been up to?”

Ren realized he didn’t know how to talk to babies. He didn’t think ‘baby-talk’ was appropriate (and it would be too embarrassing). Ares pointed at him and babbled some nonsense. Ren raised an eyebrow. The baby moved closer to Ren and grabbed at his nose. Ren scrunched his face and tried to turn away from Ares’s strong yet delicate hands.

“Dada,” Ares said. 

“Uh, yes. Hi Ares.” Ares let out a giggle and gave his dad a loving smack on the face, excited. Ren knew Ares was just happy but wished his son would stop hitting him in the face and getting the leftover bacta all over his hands. “Stop that.” 

Ares mumbled but seemed to understand Ren’s command. He continued to stare at Ren with his icy eyes. Ren didn’t know what to do with Ares; he honestly didn’t know how to react. He was glad to see his son so grown, so healthy, and so seemingly unafraid of Ren, but he knew that being so close to Ares was dangerous to his focus. He also felt an unfortunate sinking feeling of guilt as he finally took in how old Ares was now. 

Hux entered the room and only then did Ren realize he was laying in Hux’s bed. Hux stared at Ren for a moment, as if to decide how to react to Ren, and then walked over and scooped Ares off the bed. Ares made a small whining noise and then buried his face into the crook of Hux’s neck. 

“I see you’re awake. How are you feeling?” He asked, placing Ares in his crib. Ares pouted and began to throw a fit, not wanting to be trapped in his crib. He stood up, hanging onto the side of his crib, and called out “Dada, dada.” 

Hux rolled his eyes and reached down to the floor, picking up Ares’s wampa toy off the floor and handing it to his child. 

Ignoring Hux’s question, Ren said, “My son is calling for me.”

“He’s calling for _me_ Ren,” Hux corrected, wrinkling his nose. Ren frowned at him. “Also, next time don’t storm into my bloody quarters while you’re bleeding! The droids had to scrub away your mess.” 

“Why didn’t you just send me back to the medbay?”

“I didn’t want to call someone to come get you, it would look too suspicious. Besides, you needed someone to bandage you up immediately and lucky for you I’m prepared to deal with the utmost nonsense,” Hux explained. He walked over to Ren’s bedside and glared down at him from a safe distance. Ren had the inkling suspicion that Hux had been more panicked when he collapsed than he let off. 

“I’m surprised you didn’t let me bleed out, General.” 

“And have to clean up your mess? Absolutely not.” Ren couldn’t tell if he was joking. Hux looked over shyly for a moment then looked back, though his eyes weren’t focused on Ren. “And despite what you think, Ren, I’m not heartless. Or an idiot.”

“Really because I thought you had your heart surgically removed,” Ren joked. Hux smiled for a moment then put his hand to his mouth, pretending to sniffle so he could hide his amusement at Ren’s joke. 

“Does… does Ares know I’m his father?” Ren asked apprehensively. Hux seemed to panic internally for a moment, caught off guard by the question. Ren shifted his jaw, using the Force to sense if Hux was going to lie.

“Yes.” Ren didn’t sense a lie. “At least I think so.”

“How do you know?” 

Hux’s face suddenly became red and he turned his head away again, looking at Ares. Ren rose an eyebrow. “I, uh, made sure he knew what you looked like. I showed him holos sometimes. I’m sure your Force connection helps.” 

“That’s strangely considerate of you, General.” 

“Well, I thought it was better than testing your temper. I’m sure the Supreme Leader wouldn’t be pleased either if his second prodigy didn’t know who his force-wielding daddy was,” Hux said defensively. Ren couldn’t put a finger on it but it always seemed strange to him how Hux would say Ren was a ‘daddy'. He pictured Hux strictly using the term father to describe their parenthood, for it was more strict and formal like Hux. Daddy was too playful in the way Hux used it; it didn’t match the General’s tightly wound face. He knew Hux was jeering at him, but Ren wasn’t moved by it. 

Hux looked to Ares somewhat sadly. Ren tried to sit up and groaned painfully but was able to prop himself up using his forearms to push himself up. 

“Don’t push yourself, I don’t need you splitting your wounds open again. You can rest here, for now, I have to go back on the bridge anyhow,” Hux said, picking up stray children’s toys from the floor. Ren didn’t know when and where Hux got so many toys for Ares. 

Anything they got for Ares was smuggled onboard. The Knights would occasionally play their delivery person to bring Hux supplies, but most of them were apprehensive of Hux's existence. Gyro was the only one who would gladly see Hux, but Hux disliked the man very much. Arla refused to be a delivery girl; her missions were too fragile for her to be distracted anyhow. The other knights would only do so if Ren specifically requested them too, but like how Arla Ren considered it, being mailperson was below them. None of them hated Ares, they admired him; it was Hux that they found to be strange and insignificant of their Master’s attentions. Ren supposed that was partly his fault by how much he verbalized his disdain for the General, but things were different now. He had a kid with Hux and nothing would change that. 

“You want me to look after him?” Ren asked.

“As you said, he’s your son. If you really are hopeless at it, just call for the NAN-E droid to help,” Hux told him, rolling his eyes. Ren hated that droid. “Despite whatever I may think, you are his father and for the both of us, I suggest you act like it.” 

“Really? Cause I thought Mitaka was his new father since you think it’s alright to just pass our children around like a hot potato.” Hux’s face darkened. 

He went up to the side of the bed and leaned close to Ren, his hands tucked behind his back. Ren suddenly felt unnerved; he was more vulnerable to Hux than he’d like to be. Hux brushed his knuckles against one of the bandages against Ren’s arm. It was strangely soothing, but Hux’s eyes suggested grim intent. 

“I think you should be careful about what you say. They say the more you say something, the more likely it will come true,” Hux said in a low tone. Ren raised an eyebrow at him.

“Excuse me?” Hux squeezed Ren’s injured arm and Ren grunted painfully but didn’t move away. Ren knew he could easily push Hux away with the Force but he was considered Ares would think Ren was being too violent towards his father. Ren wasn’t confident enough in Ares to think his son wouldn’t immediately assume that his parents were going to kill one another. 

“You’re angry with me for letting Mitaka help me, yet where were you, Ren? You want to be a father, you want Ares to know you, and even Snoke wants you to influence your child, yet you _leave_ you and you stay _quiet_ and you don’t even bother checking up!” His voice began to rise and his chest fell and raised unsteadily, like a balloon wishing to burst. “You feel insignificant compared to my Lieutenant because he’s been spending more time with your son than you have. Do not fault me for reaching out for assistance!” 

“What? Is my lowly General helpless in raising a mere child?” Ren fired back. Hux’s eyes widened and he dug his gloved nails into Ren’s wrapped wound. Ren grimaced but continued to give Hux disapproving eyes. 

Hux let out a short, cruel laugh. “A mere child! He’s our child you foolish barbarian! How could you even say that?” Ren didn’t think Hux could be so defensive and personally offended to the point of screaming. Realizing his change of posture by the way Ren’s eyes grew with shock, Hux took a deep breath in and continued. “Don't fault me for wanting my son to feel a human connection and do not fault me for having work to do.”

“I have work to do too,” Ren tried to argue, but he knew it was hopeless to convince Hux (or himself) that he was excused. 

Hux wrinkled his nose. “Perhaps, but at least I make time for my child in between my work. I merely—” Hux caught himself and paused for a second, then quickly changed the topic. Ren already noticed his strange break in his monotonous rhythm. “Do not cry to me about how I’m raising Ares. Instead, raise him.”

Ren was surprised Hux was allowing him the opportunity to still raise Ares but then figured Hux didn’t have much of a choice. No matter how much they detested one another, they were both allowed to care for and see Ares. 

“Do not command me,” Ren said harshly. There was a sad twinkle in Hux’s eyes and he tiredly released Ren from his grip and turned away. Ares was shaking the side of his cradle, whining and putting his hands out. Ren stared at his needy son and swallowed. Stubbornly, he added, “but I will raise my son. Do not doubt my abilities.”

Hux shushed Ares and pulled the baby out of his crib, rubbing his back soothingly. “I won’t doubt you if you show me. Make it up to me. Everything.” 

Ren shifted uncomfortably. “How?”

Hux shifted his jaw and suddenly looked apprehensive. Ares babbled sadly at him, trying to ask for something but not knowing how to articulate his feelings, which only made him more annoyed. 

“Da… dada,” Ares whined. Ares poked Hux in the cheek. 

“Hold on, Ares,” Hux said softly, before turning back to Ren. “I have to go on a diplomatic mission in a few months, after Ares’s first birthday in fact. I need someone to watch Ares. If you have a good sense, you’d agree to watch him while I’m away for a few days.” 

“Where are you going?” 

“Quirinal.” 

Ren clenched his jaw and he felt a vein pop from his neck. “What?” Ren raged.

Hux rolled his eyes. He put Ares down on the floor so he could wander about and practice his walking and standing. Ares couldn’t walk yet, but he was good at cruising around when he held onto things. Ares shakily stood up and clung to the side of Hux’s bed, pulling on the blanket. He whined for someone to acknowledge him, but the two commanders were too preoccupied with one another to give Ares their full attention. 

“Don’t be so miffed. Snoke agrees I need to go to retain our allyship. There have been some complications in Quirinal. The King isn’t so sure about his planet’s alliance with the First Order and I need to assure the King that the First Order is his best interest,” Hux explained. He occasionally glanced at Ares, watching the baby bounce his little legs impatiently as he tried to ask Ren to let him up on the bed. 

Ren didn’t realize what Ares wanted; he was too focused on the fact Hux was returning to Quirinal. All things considered, Quirinal should’ve had some sentimental value to him considering his son was born on that planet and that was where his pediatrician came from. He didn’t want to admit Quirinal was more important than he thought it was.

“The King is upset? I thought Himero ruled that planet.”

“That’s why he’s the prince, Ren. Technically, his father rules Quirinal but he’s not the most lucid man, to put it delicately. Himero is the one who controls the planet but if his father wants something, their laws say he’s still in charge even if his head isn’t entirely clear,” Hux explained. Ares babbled loudly but his parents continued to let him go off on his own. 

“So what, you are going to flirt with that King too?” Ren accused. He tried to move but felt a pain in his chest so he calmly laid down and got comfortable, faying his relaxation. 

“What’s wrong with you? I’m clearly just going to talk the King into keeping our contract or convince Himero to be more assertive with his father. Even if you disagree with it, Supreme Leader Snoke commanded me to go! I’m asking you to be available to watch our son while I’m away.” There was a pause in the conversation as Ren considered Hux’s words carefully. Hux only felt more frustrated with the mystical knight. “Ren, say something!” 

'Yes' would’ve been the easy answer. He wanted to see Ares. It would be an optimal opportunity to help Ares learn what the Force was and bond with him. He couldn’t let Ares forget the feeling of Ren in the Force or forget what he looked like. 

“Why do you even need to ask? Of course, I’d watch my son! Better than letting your brainless soldiers hold him and teach him to be obedient and passionless,” Ren criticized harshly. Hux’s face turned red. 

“You are the brainless one! How dare you think I have no passion for raising my son!” Hux shouted. Ren wasn’t referring to Hux but realized perhaps the General still had his doubts about being a parent. Ares burst out crying, forcing his parents to stop arguing. Hux’s face suddenly softened and his crouched down. “Ares, it’s alright.”

Hux moved to go pick up Ares but instead, the baby released his hands from the bed and walked to Hux, crying and sniffling. He stumbled and barely made it over, falling onto Hux’s leg and hugging it for support. He looked up to Hux, his nose runny and his eyes wet and helpless. Hux looked ashamed of himself and immediately scooped Ares up, wiping his nose with his glove. 

Ren looked over to the nightstand and saw a tissue box. He reached over and plucked one out, clearing his throat to get Hux’s attention. Hux apprehensively took the tissue from Ren’s hand and wiped his son’s wet face. Ares hiccuped and looked to Ren, putting his hand out. Hux eyed Ren cautiously and watched as Ren’s face twitched impatiently; he wanted to ask to hold Ares but couldn’t articulate himself properly as he battled against his pride. 

All Ren could let out was a gentle “please.” 

The way Hux continued to hesitate around Ren made the knight want to throttle the General; then, it made Ren regret being so untrustworthy. Hux gently placed Ares on Ren’s chest, careful not to let Ares sit firmly on any of Ren’s wounds. Ares slowly calmed down but was still sniffly and red in the face. Ren delicately put a hand on Ares’ back. He may have grown, but Ares was still small on Ren’s chest and under his hand. 

Ren heard the sound of Hux’s gloves slapping against the ground. The General unbuttoned his uniform and threw off his shoes, still acting angry. Ren peaked into Hux’s mind, but all he saw was exhaustion. The General, now in his undershirt but still in his uniform pants, threw himself onto the bed. He put his hands to his eyes, breathing loudly. Inside his head, he was counting and letting himself breathe in and out at a certain pace. 

Ares blubbered softly against Ren’s chest. He was listening to his father’s heartbeat, remembering it and becoming comforted by it. 

Hux eventually removed his hands from his face and stared at the ceiling. The silence was uncomfortable. 

“Has… has he done that before?” Ren asked stupidly. 

“Done what, Ren?”

“You know… walked.”

Hux let out a sad, short laugh. “No. He’s never walked unaided. I guess he was saving it to show you. He was a big name to live up to, you know.” 

“I guess so.” It took Ren a moment to understand more of Hux’s insecurities. Ren didn’t know if Hux was purposefully revealing his internal struggles or if the sorrow and exhaustion were getting to him. “I thought you were feeling better.”

“What the hell are you going on about?” 

“I mean that when I saw you, you didn’t look as tired or pale as you usually are. You looked more put together like you actually slept. Uh… handsome, even.” Ren thought he was making things more awkward and strange, but Hux didn’t seem to think deeply about what he was saying or if Ren was being ridiculous.

“I don’t sleep. I’ve just had to after—” Ren rose an eyebrow at Hux, “—I just have had Mitaka help out alright? Are you going to shame me again you oaf?” 

“I do apologize, General,” Ren said but he didn’t think Hux believed him. “I was merely shocked. I didn’t think you'd ever ask for help from someone else other than… well.”

“What, other than from you? I have other people who can assist me and, as I said, you aren’t the most reachable person. I didn’t want to ask for assistance,” Ren took notice of how Hux never referred to it as ‘help,’ “but things were becoming… I didn’t want to risk anything. I trust Mitaka.” 

“I don’t,” Ren said stubbornly. Hux sighed. 

“You wanted me to trust your Knights, yet you won’t trust my judgment on my officers? That’s a bit hypocritical of you,” Hux pointed out. The General turned on his side to look at Ren. Now that Ren could meet Hux’s eyes, he felt his face warming. 

“It’s not the same.”

“You’re right, I guess. It’s not the same; your knights will help hone my child’s powers and also help ship him off when he’s ready, like a ripe fruit.” It was too sentimental for Ren’s taste. He understood the sentiment, of course, but they couldn’t have those feelings lingering on the surfaces of their minds. If they weren’t careful, they’d lose more than they already would. 

It never took much effort to see Hux’s disdain. “You don’t want to go through with this. You want Snoke dead.” 

Hux snorted. “Don’t take it personally, I want a lot of people dead. Even commonplace employees want to strangle their bosses. But I know better than to be moved by my instincts. I have my own purpose.”

Weirdly enough, Ren recalled Snoke saying that same thing when he had warned his Master about Hux’s desires.

“Be careful, Hux. Your thoughts aren’t as deeply guarded as you think. Why don’t you want to go through with this?”

“You’re the Jedi, you tell me,” Hux said crudely. Hux seemed to be waiting for Ren’s temper to reveal itself again. 

“I’m not a Jedi. But I’m warning you, Hux, find your sentiments elsewhere. It will only bring you more misery.” Ren was genuinely warning the General about the consequences of his wants. He knew it was hard to not want to grow attached to something you raised, something that was a piece of your flesh. Ren wondered if this was why he had been going on so many missions. Hux didn’t have the same luxury, but he was also the more disposable one, Ren supposed. 

Using the Force, Ren could see the strange connection Hux had with Ares. It wasn’t the same as the connection he shared with Ares, but then again Hux was a force-null, and Ren didn’t exactly know what a fatherly connection between force-null and a force-sensitive looked like. When he was a child, he had never tried to look at the connection he had with Han Solo. He didn’t think there was one at all. In a practical sense, he didn’t think this meant Han Solo wasn’t a father to him, but perhaps it was instead a sign of the relationship they would have.

If his hypothesis was true, Hux was bounded to Ares strongly. Ares’ force registry, in the best way he could visualize it, was like a blue rope wrapped around Hux’s brain and his heart. He didn’t know exactly what Ares was doing to Hux. Maybe it was just a sign of a healthy relationship, but he doubted Hux had ever had one of those. 

The bond was strong. Not only was it strong, but it also seemed to strengthen Hux’s place within the Force in a strange way. Ren wondered if Ares was somehow making Hux easier to see within the Force so he could find his father and know where he was at all times. Ren didn’t know if he was offended or not that Ares didn’t do the same for him, then again them both being force-sensitive could’ve changed this dynamic. 

Ren just didn’t know for sure what was happening within the Force. He didn’t think it was threatening; it was just odd. 

Hux had his eyes shut for about thirty minutes, but Ren couldn’t tell if he was asleep. Ares babbled loudly and Hux’s eyes flashed open, looking over to Ren and his son. 

“I have to go back on the bridge. Watch him, will you? Don’t bleed on my things,” Hux told Ren solemnly before getting up. 

Ares let out soft whines as he felt Hux grow more distant from him. When Hux was on his place on the bridge, Ares suddenly stopped his worrying as if he knew his father was in a safe place. All that was left was Ren and his son, staring at each other eyes curiously. 

Ares reached up and curiously pulled on Ren’s long hair. 

“Ah,” Ren said softly and pushed Ares’ little hand away.

“Ah,” Ares copied. Ren smiled softly. 

The two did nothing for a while, just observing one another. Ren grew tired and Ares seemed to notice, relaxing against his father’s chest and promptly fell into a deep sleep. 

Unable to escape his son, Ren followed after him. 

Instead of dreaming of Hux falling, he dreamed of Hux rising. He dreamed that he and Hux were taking off in a shuttle, peaceful and happy. He didn’t see Ares among them, but he felt a strange calm. 

He wondered what Ares dreamed of if children dreamed at all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> leave a comment and a kudos!
> 
> we really are getting close to TROS and I got opening day tickets so I pray lord jj brings us the meal we deserve... sorry if u want more action and less plot but we gettin there! these idiots just have to work through their evil personal issues first. sometimes it's tough trying to balance trying to make them evil while also like having good traits that seem to contrast what they are actually doing? but hey its kylux, it's weird. thanks!


	20. Don't Waste Your Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i saw TROS and basically I give it a 3/5. im a sucker for plot and character development and to me it was not it. i still love star wars but obviously this fic wont have anything to do with TROS, rather than maybe inspo? my knights of ren are already obviously different so.
> 
> i'll be going to galaxy's edge so next update ill prob mention that lmao
> 
> cw: sexual content, somewhat objectifying thoughts
> 
> leave a comment and a kudos! <3

Ren spent about three days lounging around in Hux’s chambers. At night, when Hux finally let himself go to bed, the General would quietly pass out onto the spot next to Ren without a word, only to wake up about four or five hours later to get back to work. Ren has had sleepless nights or rough nights before, but he still didn’t understand how Hux was alive. If the General was presentable with only four hours of sleep every day, Ren didn’t want to know what he was like with no sleep. Did he look about the same, or dead?

Ren used the tense silence between them to observe the Force connection Hux had with Ares. Hux seemed oblivious to any use of the Force against him, which was expected, but the way Ares used the Force on Hux was peculiar. 

When Ares wanted something from Hux he’d do what babies usually did and cried or made strange noises and gestures, but Ares also pulled at the bond he shared with Hux to signal him. It made Hux aware of Ares’ wants before Ares could cry about them, but Hux didn’t register that the millisecond of a time difference between his realization and Ares' actual crying. He didn't realize that he knew Ares' needs before the boy could voice them.

It was like an alarm for Hux. He reacted to the Force bond the same way he reacted to his beeping datapad: it was normal and something he had to attend to. Ares wasn’t so much playing a Jedi mind trick as he was suggesting to Hux what to do. Hux chose to listen to these suggestions. Maybe this was what a mother’s instinct was, Ren thought, or perhaps this was entirely a new, strange Force mechanism. 

Ren didn’t recall sharing something similar to Leia Organa. Sure, she’d sense him or know his needs, but not in a way where she could know it before he cried. At least, not from what Ren remembered. Ren shook his head, forcing himself to forget General Organa when she was just his mother. She was simply a General to him now, a lowly, delusional, pest of a New Republic General. He had no doubts that if she ever saw Ares she’d sneer in disgust at everything he was. 

Hux, in his own way, showed he grew more trusting of Ren with Ares, but still walked on eggshells around him when he could. He no longer purposefully provoked Ren, but also knew that Ren couldn’t hurt him with Ares around. Ren hadn’t felt the need to hurt Hux either, not that he wanted to. He preferred to keep the General healthy Hux wouldn’t believe that though. 

When Hux had a moment to breathe, Ren headed back to the medbay to make sure his wounds were healing correctly. He was feeling better and doubted that anything was wrong, but he sensed Hux’s anxiety around the situation. Ren wasn’t sure why Hux was so anxious about his health; he never had been before and Ren always came back from whatever injuries he sustained.

As he expected, he was healing properly and was able to remove some of his bandages. The doctor told him to be more careful (they always did) and gave him some painkillers for whatever aching was left (which he never took). 

“Is Doctor Nikos available?” He asked the medical droid. 

“Yes sir, would you like me to contact her?” The droid replied in its peppy voice. He hated how happy the droid sounded. He grumbled a “yes” and soon enough, the droid left and Doctor Nikos entered.

Despite her being their pediatrician, Ren realized he never took the time to observe who she was. Objectively, she was a good doctor, but personally, he wanted to blast her into space just looking at Ares and judging whatever Hux and he did. She had short black and golden-streaked hair that was tightly tied back. Her skin was dark, but he was already noticing how living on a ship changed her looks. Her large glasses sat unevenly on her face and she had since seemed to mature from the last time he saw her. She now looked more like a doctor than the nervous nurse he took her for.

“Ah, Lord Ren nice to have you back,” she said, but she didn’t sound so pleased, “what can I help you with?”

“I want an official report on Ares’ health is all,” he told her firmly. She nodded and hummed in agreement. 

“Of course, Sir.” 

She handed him a datapad that was filled with information about Ares’ health and milestones. Ren noticed how often Hux must’ve sent Doctor Nikos Ares’ progress to make sure his health was outstanding. He also noticed that Doctor Nikos showed some concern over Ares having minimal interaction with others, but then assured it wouldn’t be completely detrimental until Ares was a little older. Ren suddenly had the desire to conquer planets.

Scrolling through the report, Ren raised his eyebrow at a strange phrase that he didn’t understand. 

“What’s this? Concern about the parental environmental factors on the child?” He asked her. Doctor Nikos looked uncomfortable. 

“Ah, nothing to worry about too much, Lord Ren. It seems to have sorted itself out,” Doctor Nikos explained vaguely. Dissatisfied, Ren continued to press on, his voice darker.

“Explain it to me,” he demanded. 

“I… I can’t. Patient-Doctor confidentiality. The patient made it explicitly clear that they didn’t want to discuss it, in fear of judgment. I hope you can understand, Lord Ren Sir,” she tried to explain delicately. Ren took in a deep breath.

He knew she had to be talking about Hux. Had he done something to Ares? The thought made Ren’s blood boil. He held his hand up near her head, letting the Force wrap around her mind.

“You will let me access General Hux’s file and you will forget you did,” he commanded her with the Force. Doctor Nikos’s mind still wasn’t strong enough to withstand his influence.

She repeated the phrase robotically and unlocked Hux’s file. She then stiffly walked out of the room, leaving Ren to surf through Hux’s most private information.

The recent stuff was mundane and actually looking more positive than he assumed. The doctor reported a healthy weight and better sleeping habits, she even reported that Hux admitted drinking less (which Ren was relieved about. He couldn’t stand how Hux drank alcohol like it was water). 

He then got to what Doctor Nikos must’ve been hiding. It was a report about Hux being hardly lucid because he wasn’t sleeping, eating, and taking too many stims that could’ve caused him to overdose. If Ren didn’t know Hux, he would’ve thought Hux was trying to kill himself purposefully.

Doctor Nikos’s personal notes read: 

_The patient found passed out after days without sleep. Reported by NAN-E droid through its emergency health sign. The patient suffers from extreme fatigue and poor dieting. Refused to contact the second parent (REN, KYLO). Possibility of estrangement/absent parent? Nature of relationship with second parent unclear. Baby’s (HUX-REN, ARES) health is overall perfect despite his parent’s condition. MONITORING._

Ren felt queasy reading the report. Honestly, he wasn’t entirely surprised Hux had hit his limit and passed out, but he also felt ashamed reading that Doctor Nikos considered him an “absent parent.” He half thought to throw her with the Force for writing about him in such a crude way, yet he couldn’t blame her. She didn’t understand the nature of his work and perhaps, to a point, Hux didn’t either. It was difficult to balance his duty to the Force and his duty as a parent. He couldn’t be out chasing Jedi if he wanted to help raise Ares, but then he’d be leaving those Jedi to roam free and possibly hurt Ares in the future for being a ‘child of the dark side,’ as Snoke put it. 

It was concerning that Hux would so willingly sacrifice his health, even for a worthy cause. He didn’t think Hux could be so… caring (as disgusting as a word it was). Ren tossed aside the datapad and stormed back to Hux’s quarters, helmeted and black-clad once again.

When he entered, Hux was sitting on the floor with Ares standing across from him. He had his arms out, trying to get Ares to walk to him. Hux blushed at Ren’s arrival and jumped up off the ground, sneering.

“Do you ever knock politely? You don’t live here!” Hux fretted. Ren rolled his eyes from behind his mask. 

“Don’t be so embarrassed, General. I don’t know why you are so self-conscious about being a good father,” Ren said calmly. Ares was staring at him, somehow confused. Ren removed his helmet and placed it on the coffee table. 

Ares, fully recognizing his father now, made a loud noise and attempted to walk to Ren. He was successful in a few steps, but then stumbled and almost fell. Ren used the Force to prevent Ares from falling onto his face, floating the little boy up into his arms and holding him tightly. Ares giggled, amused by the strange sensation of being lifted by the Force. 

“I’m not,” Hux said defensively. “Don’t use the Force on our son.”

“Don’t worry, it’s completely safe. It’s good for him too to be familiarized with the Force,” Ren explained. Ares babbled and looked at Hux’s ice blue couch where his wampa plushie was sitting. He reached towards it and Ren used the Force to let the wampa float into his son’s little hands. 

Hux’s mouth was twisted. “He can do that himself.”

Ren paused. “Are you serious? Why didn’t you tell me!”

“I didn’t exactly have the right means to contact you. Besides he only did it once,” Hux said, his voice barely a mumble. 

“Did you tell Supreme Leader Snoke?” Ren asked him, somewhat accusatory. Hux looked to the side and crossed his arms.

“I… no. He hasn’t done it again either so I didn’t know what I’d even talk about.” Hux was aware he was making up excuses, but he couldn’t bring himself to find the truth in his intentions. Ren rolled his eyes, but he was worried there’d be trouble because they hadn’t told Snoke. 

“Nevermind that then. Perhaps we should wait…” Hux’s eyes flickered suddenly, somewhat hopeful, somewhat afraid. Ren felt his cheeks warm. 

“Thank you, Ren,” he said softly and plopped down on his couch. He didn’t know why Hux was so tired if he was sleeping more. The General scratched at his palms and bounced his leg. Ren wondered if Hux had withdrawals from not having enough stims or caf or whatever he usually had. 

Ren cautiously sat down next to Hux, letting Ares sit on his lap. Ares showed his wampa toy to Ren and Ren hummed in acknowledgment, amusing his son as he attempted to speak. All Ares could say was “da” along with a bunch of gibberish. 

Hux leaned his head on Ren’s shoulder. Ren’s body tensed up and he side-eyed the General, unsure of what to make of the gesture. 

“Tired, General?” Ren asked, trying to sound casual. 

“Mmh…” Hux nuzzled his head gently against Ren’s shoulder, attempting to get comfortable. 

“It seems like you are getting some more sleep. Have you been eating properly?”

“What the hell kind of question is that?” 

“I’m just asking. We need our General to be in the best shape if he’s going to conquer the galaxy,” Ren said, turning his head slightly so his nose was hovering above the fine, fiery hairs of Hux’s head. He could smell Hux’s awful pomade, but he could also smell the lingering scent of whatever shampoo Hux was using. It wasn’t standard; Ren could make out the scents of flora. 

Hux’s skin was smelling different too. Ren could make out the generic but relaxing scent of baby powder that seemed to mix with Hux’s skin. He wondered if that’s what was going to give them away. Maybe a disgruntled, older officer would lean to close and then smell the baby powder and milk formula on Hux and know immediately what he was up to. 

“Are you smelling me, Ren?” Hux asked. He didn’t move away.

“Uh, not intentionally. You’re just close,” Ren said half truthfully. Ares squirmed and Ren put him down on the floor, watching him try to cruise around. Ares would switch between crawling and using furniture to walk, but he still wasn’t completely confident in himself to walk a great distance on his own. 

“Ares needs to sleep. Let him walk around for a bit then put him to bed, will you?” 

Ren didn’t object. He didn’t enjoy Hux bossing him around, but he was willing to have patience so he could properly care for his boy. 

Ares stumbled around a bit and both his parents watched, silent. Ren felt tense but he didn’t know why. Eventually, Ares began to cry and put his arms up to Ren. 

“Dada… dada,” Ares cried. Ren sighed and picked him back up, patting his back and swaying back and forth. 

“He amazingly likes you still,” Hux said, resting his head back. 

“What’s that’s supposed to mean?” 

“Nevermind Ren, I’m guessing it’s a Force thing,” Hux said. 

“We should discuss that, the Force. You seem to have a Force connection with Ares. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, though I’m not sure how extraordinary it is,” Ren described, but Hux didn’t seem to be interested. 

“Is that so? I’m sure other force-sensitive babies have done the same to their parents. Does it bother you?”

“No. It doesn’t bother me. It’s just odd. You seem different.” 

“I’m tired, Ren. Parenting is tiring. Are you going to watch Ares when I go to Quirinal?”

Ren looked down at his sleepy son. Ares let out a particularly cute yawn and fell asleep against Ren’s collarbone, his fat cheeks squished against Ren’s arm. The baby began to drool on Ren. 

“Of course I will, General. Are you just trying to wring some shore leave days out of me unwittingly?” Ren asked jokingly, though his tone didn’t hint at any sarcasm. Naturally, Hux rolled his eyes.

“Why would I willingly go somewhere so hot and shiny? Quirinal is not my choice for shore leave, despite it being a tourist trap,” Hux expressed. Ren found his statement somehow relieving. He was thinking of the exact same thing. 

Ren put Ares into his crib and gently placed a blanket over his son’s small body. Ares slept quietly, presenting himself like the most precious thing in Hux’s collection. Ares was rare than kyber, Ren bet, and his worth would go far beyond the cost of Starkiller (but he wouldn’t say that to Hux). Ren looked to the door and then leaned over the crib to give Ares a kiss on the forehead. Ares made a little noise but stayed asleep.

Ren didn’t recall if he had actually ever kissed Ares; he didn’t think kisses between parents and children were necessary until he felt the softness and purity of knowing how it felt to love his child. It was embarrassing for a Knight of Ren to have the inclination to even show any affection, especially if Snoke had given him suggestions on the least affectionate way to raise a son. Ren couldn’t help it though; he was too curious about how it would feel to be a loving parent. 

Returning to the main living area, Ren saw how Hux’s head lulled sleepily. The General snapped back to attention once Ren entered the room once more as if he sleeping was a deplorable act. Bravely, Ren sat back down next to Hux and silently hoped the General would lean back against him.

“Sound asleep?” Hux asked. Ren steepled his fingers against his knees, sitting stiffly. 

“Yes.”

Hux huffed. “Good. He usually doesn’t sleep so easy. He’s a bit of a cranky boy, all things considered. Much like you.” Ren wasn’t too moved by Hux’s comments. The sleepy tone of the General made him less threatening. “You’ll see soon enough I suppose.”   
   
“I suppose I will.” 

Hux’s eyebrow twitched. “You’re tense.” 

“I don’t like to let my guard down around those who see me as an obstacle, General,” Ren said. Hux let out an annoyed sigh and crossed his arms. He observed Ren’s face and Ren suddenly felt cornered. 

“You don’t have to be an obstacle,” Hux offered slyly. Ren tilted his head. 

“I rather not bend to your will and be your lap dog either,” Ren added, moving closer to Hux’s face to hopefully unnerve the General. Hux’s serious yet tired eyes didn’t change. He wasn’t afraid of Ren at the moment, then again it was hard to feel anything when all you wanted to do is melt into a bed and sleep. 

“Yet you’ll be Snoke’s dog, will you?” Hux seemed offended, much to Ren’s confusion and irritation. 

“Do not talk about the Supreme Leader like that. You remember what happened the last time you were caught for your selfish projects and weaknesses.” Ren didn’t mean to sound so cruel towards the man who had been taking care of his son, but he couldn’t stand Hux’s sharp tongue. He may have been a good General, but he was a horrible coworker. 

For once, Hux didn’t bite back. I’m fact, he looked dismal. Ren felt his rising anger mellow out and disappear, burying itself under worry. 

“You really think my fathering is a weakness?” Ren couldn’t tell if Hux’s question was hypothetical or not. It was concerning when Hux didn’t have his usual fangs out, ready to suck the galaxy dry or rip into his enemies. He seemed less like a rabid cur and more like a postpartum depressed mother. 

“No— I just believe even our General can get in over his head. You can trust me with watching Ares. You must.”

Hux shrugged. “I know I must but it’s still… difficult. You haven’t been the easiest person to turn to, Ren. If you recall, you tried to choke me out after I was brutalized.”

Ren felt ashamed of himself but forced those feelings down as well. He knew Hux shouldn’t have been bad mouthing him, but he also understood the pain Hux went through. He supposed Hux couldn’t help seeking attention in something close to a family unit, the poor bastard had never experienced any sort of affection, but even Ren thought beating the General into shape had been much if he was expected to watch a baby. Ren wanted to find Pryde and burn the man then drench him in stinging alcohol. 

“I didn’t mean to lash out. Do forgive me, General,” Ren offered, but he wasn’t as amicable as he thought he was. Hux looked away from Ren, too uncomfortable with the lazy apology to know how to react. Ren clenched his fist but kept his face straight. 

Suddenly, Hux reached out and touched Ren’s face where Snoke had lashed out at him. The wound was healing and would be gone soon, but the lines from the scratch were still apparent. Ren felt his heart pound harder as Hux’s soft hands touched the ugly lines. Hux ran his fingers down Ren’s face and stopped when his fingertips touched Ren’s jawline. Ren felt as though he was being tempted by the General, yet Hux’s face was soft and curious, lacking dark eyes that would be asking for Ren to hold him down. 

“What gave you this?” Hux asked. Ren, again, couldn’t tell if Hux was genuinely asking or if he was playing mind games with Ren. It had been increasingly difficult to tell when Hux was in his cold-hearted and cruel General mode or if he was in his gentler fathering mode. He didn’t even think Hux had noticed the change he was going through in his personality. 

“Don’t worry about it, Hux. My training can be trying but it makes me stronger. I must not be held down by injuries.”

“You passed out on my floor. Take better care of yourself,” Hux demanded. Ren’s lip twitched, threatening to smile at the General but he forced himself to pretend he wasn’t moved by Hux’s apparent worry. “I rather not the unfortunate father to my child be incapacitated when he’s away and when he returns. Don’t make a habit of it, alright?” 

“I don’t plan on getting hurt, it just happens. It seems I have a lot at stake.” Hux was gently moving one of his fingers back and forth against Ren’s jaw as if to pet him. He seemed to focus on Ren’s words, unaware of what he was doing. “Uh, between Ares and my knights’ own morale, I mean.”

“Why would your knights have low morale? Don’t they worship the ground you walk on? They seem to have a range of emotions but they don’t look emotional.”

“Well, that’s why I have to remain sturdy and stable. They won’t question my authority or Snoke’s, but they have been difficult recently.”

“Why’s that?” Hux asked, his fingers slyly moving closer to Ren’s neck. One of his fingers brushed some of the hairs on the back of Ren’s head. Ren swallowed hard. 

“Uh, we lost a knight recently. Before we went to Quirinal for the first time that is and before you met them. We can’t confirm it, but now that he’s been gone for awhile they really notice that he has disappeared. We are separated often so it wouldn’t be odd for my knights not to see each other for a long time, but after they met you and Ares for the first time, I think that was the nail in the coffin,” Ren explained, only half focusing on his own words because of Hux’s fingers sneaking around his neck, touching, caressing, and feeling the lines and moles of Ren’s skin. 

“I see. So your knights usually aren’t so crude?”

“I mean, some of them are it’s just enhanced because they are irritated by not being able to locate my sixth knight. His name is Iliad. My Master says I shouldn’t personally dwell on his disappearance or it will bring down my focus and the focus of my other knights. If anything, he wanted me to better hone my power to find Iliad or motivate my knights, but Ares has distracted me and oddly I don’t feel the need to find him,” Ren admitted, not meaning to reveal so much to Hux. He figured it didn’t matter now anyway, if Iliad Ren were to be found, he wouldn’t be the one to find it. 

He had previously sent Vision and Vio to find Iliad Ren, but they were fruitless. Nykita Ren had sunk herself deep into the Force to find him but again was unsuccessful. Arla threw a fit most of their search, upset and convinced he was dead. Gyro was oddly quiet throughout the whole endeavor, signaling he was also upset about the loss of Iliad. Ren kept it together though. 

Guilt did sit at the back of his mind at the thought of not personally looking for Iliad. It wasn’t his place to do so, but he also had no motivation to find him on his own. There was too much for him to do. If he had to pick between Iliad and Ares, undoubtedly he’d pick Ares. His Master also seemed more interested in Ares than in the lost Knight of Ren, which, unfortunately, the other knights noticed. They had no qualms with a mere baby, but Ren was realizing why they were so stubborn nowadays. They must’ve felt disposable. Ren sighed sadly, wondering if he had been doing enough to keep his knights grounded. Having control over something helped keep Ren sane, but if knights didn’t listen or felt hopeless, then so would he.

“I’m surprised you are so upset by this. You may be emotional,” Ren narrowed his eyes at Hux, “but you also don’t let yourself be too moved by death. You’ve killed people, seen people killed, and I’m sure you’ve seen a more emotional death. Does the loss of this Iliad really disturb you?”

“I mean, sort of. I just don’t like not knowing if he’s dead or if he’s stranded somewhere,” Ren clenched his fist tight, “or if he’s a damn deserter. I need to know so I can tell my knights something, or so I can take him out myself.”

“Now that’s some leaderly sentiment,” Hux half-joked. Ren cringed at the copper-haired man whose fingers were still playing with his jet black locks. 

“You think so?”

“I mean, I understand. I don’t like not knowing what my officers are thinking but you have the benefit of looking into people’s heads. It worries me sometimes, especially with the older officers, now that I have Ares. I suspect they’d do anything to bring me down, but won’t because of the chain of command. Unfortunately, we share some commonality in not liking to be caught off guard,” Hux said. 

“That seems common to me in general. Most people don’t like being unaware of their situation.”

“I don’t know, some people like surprises.” Hux’s tone was borderline teasing Ren. Ren squirmed a little, suddenly feeling uncomfortable in his own pants. 

“The only surprise I’ve ever liked was Ares, honestly, and I didn’t even like that surprise at first,” Ren admitted. Hux was lightly massaging the back of Ren’s neck, or at least that’s what he assumed he was doing. He was becoming antsy, not liking how close Hux was getting. 

“And now how do you feel about it all?” Hux asked, knowing he was crossing somewhere dangerous. Ren felt like they had reached the edge once again, daring to dive off to discover how he felt in an emotion that was buried at the bottom of his consciousness.

“I— Ares is someone who brings me peace and motivation. The existence of my child makes me stronger,” Ren said as proudly as he could. Hux just nodded, looking as though he wanted to shatter into millions of pieces like glass. “You have done well, General, raising him when I couldn’t.” 

Hux’s cheeks were tinted pink at Ren’s compliment. Ren didn’t think his compliment was that invasive but Hux must’ve because he pulled Ren into a kiss. 

Hux’s lips were soft and tasted vaguely of caf which worried Ren slightly, but he was too shocked by the kiss to care too much. Hux pulled away slowly and leaned back into the couch, flustered. Ren blinked blankly, baffled by Hux’s sudden affections. 

“Sorry,” he said softly, unsure of himself. “I just— it’s ridiculous, I—”

Before Hux could become angry with himself, Ren grabbed his face and kissed him with ferocity. Hux let out a surprised moan at the contact but then dissolved into Ren’s rough hands, putting his hands around Ren’s wrist as if he was considering removing Ren from his face. 

Ren was hungry. He realized it as soon as Hux put his lips onto him. He hungered for flesh and affection; he wanted to devour someone and hold their heart in his hands to keep or to crush. He desired to bathe in blood to feel its inviting warmth on his skin. On his lonely planet where he grew delusional, he was deprived of contact with other people and of carnal pleasures. He was hungry, and so was Hux. 

Hux hungered for affection in a different way. He was desperate like Ren, but his hunger was more pleading, begging, and vulnerable. Ren recalled reading an article about parents who, after having their first child, deprived themselves of their sexual lives to focus on their baby and later found themselves making another child after a sudden burst of sexual desire because they grew more desperate to embrace each other. The article had been from Quirinal actually, and it said this sexual ravenousness was also caused by how having a baby brought parents closer. It was convoluted and wasn’t exactly scientific, but he could feel the passion bursting from his chest. 

Panting and desperate, Ren flipped Hux so he was laying down on the couch, his legs open around Ren’s waist. Ren pushed his crotch against Hux’s and continued viciously kissing Hux. Hux moaned as Ren rocked his hips against Hux. Hux bucked against Ren’s, craving the friction. Ren couldn’t take the time to undress Hux and he couldn’t risk that intimate connection, so he took a different route to get a quick release against the General’s slim body. 

“Ren—” Hux gasped out, somewhat uncertain. He seemed more vulnerable than usual. 

Ren sat up and unzipped his pants. They were feeling painfully tight. His erection became more apparent once Ren’s fly was down. Hux stared at it with half-lidded eyes. He still seemed too tired to play an active role, and Ren was impatient, so instead Ren used the General’s body as a means of jerking off. He ground his erection against Hux’s crotch and taint, letting the barrier of clothes between them create a desperate friction. Ren grabbed Hux by the legs and hoisted them up, holding the General underneath his knees so he could get a better position. 

It was good to use Hux and watch him wither and squirm. Hux’s eyes were looking down at the lewd display of Ren grinding and thrusting against him hopelessly, edging himself. Ren was panting and grunting as he aggressively pleasuring himself between Hux’s legs.

They wanted more; they wanted to bruise each other’s skin and lose their layers but in the back of their heads they were self-conscious of what could come after: anger, regret, punishments… 

Ren’s breath was hot as he watched Hux’s body jerk to his rhythm, the clothes Hux put an arm over his eyes and made a strange little squeaking noise. Ren felt a large sticky, wet spot in Hux’s pants and realized the General had came in his pants. 

Hux’s face was as red as the blade of his saber. It didn’t take much for Ren to understand that Hux did not come in pants often. Ren did have the vaguest memory of Hux sucking him off on Quirinal and soiling his trousers with his seed, though. Ren never did either, honestly, but the General’s reaction was precious and priceless. It was nice seeing the so-serious General cream his pants. 

As much as he loved the friction, Ren found it more satisfying to take his cock in his hand and give himself a few finishing jerks so he could also ruin Hux’s pants. Hux watched and swallowed hard the sight. 

“You best wash these, you brat,” Hux said in a soft voice. Ren let out a low chuckle. 

“Sure, allow me to undress you, princess,” Ren joked, earning a growl from Hux. 

He tucked himself back into his pants and began freeing Hux from his, sliding each pant leg off with special care. It was funny to Ren that Hux could order hits, was a renowned engineering genius, and could hit bullseyes blindfolded with one hand, yet he pliantly laid back as Ren ruined him and removed his pants, acting shy and simple. 

Ren then removed Hux’s socks, not realizing that he’d see some old scars that Hux receiving from his whipping by Pryde’s hand. They were mostly gone, but Ren could still make out some white lines where marks used to be. Hux quirked a brow at Ren when his eyes lingered too long. Strangely, Ren kissed the top of Hux’s foot.

Suddenly, feeling wide awake, Hux pulled back his foot and sat up. Ren jumped back, concerned the General would try to kick him in the face like an angry mule. Hux turned away from Ren and threw his socks off, storming to the refresher in angry silence. Ren didn’t know why Hux got worked up about a princeless-style kiss on top of the foot. It was meant to be honorary, not perverted, but he didn’t think Hux thought it was perverted either. 

He had got it the idea from old stories he was told of princes kissing a maiden’s foot as a way to honor her beauty without being too invasive of her space. Ren thought it was weird, but he somehow couldn’t control himself around Hux. No matter what Snoke said, he always found himself drawn to something in the General, even if he didn’t like it. The man was utterly infuriating and hard to work with, yet there he had been grinding into Hux for sexual ecstasy. 

When Hux came back out, he had put on a blue robe. He didn’t say anything and went into his bedchambers. Ren could hear him throw stuff onto his bed. Ren put the pants into a laundry chute and headed to Hux’s room, unsure of what else to do with himself.

Hux was gazing over Ares’ crib, rocking it lightly. Somehow, the image was unnerving to Ren. The Force swam darkly around Hux’s feet. A great power radiated from the General, though he was in his pajamas.

“The galaxy has proven to be unwilling to bend at the will of the First Order, not that you have the most recent knowledge of our political prowess,” Hux explained, starting at Ares. Ren cocked an eyebrow but listened to the General. “I will crush every stubborn weakling who dares to step in my way of glory. The First Order will prosper.”

“Unfortunately, there are foolishly brave people who think they can step in the way of the dark side too. But fear not, General Hux. The more the galaxy struggles the more satisfying it will be to have it under our feet,” Ren said darkly. “I am curious though, I know your sentiments towards the galaxy yet you have not spoken so seriously off the bridge. What has caused this dark energy?” 

Hux looked over his shoulder and stopped rocking the cradle, his face eerie and his eyes bright and burning with passion. 

“Dark energy? No, I just have more at stake than before. Snoke is right about Ares being the future. He is my legacy and, unfortunately, yours too. I’m glad we can agree on that.”

“I never said I agreed with you.”

“No, but I know you do. It’s futile to not think I’m correct,” Hux said, half bragging. Hux got into his bed and scrolled through his datapad. “If you behave, you can sleep in my bed tonight. Do not think this is anything more than an act of mutual respect and convenience.” 

Ren wouldn’t call humping Hux into an orgasm convenient and mutually respectful but he didn’t argue. He was beginning to feel the tides of exhaustion pulling him in. Granted, his day hadn’t been that proactive but he had watched over Ares. 

Throughout the day, Ren has the inkling suspicion that Hux had been evaluating his parental performance. He didn’t think he failed because Hux hadn’t laid a hand on Ares when Ren was watching him.

Ren climbed into bed with Hux and stiffly laid back, watching Hux scroll through his datapad obsessively to check for every message, every detail, and every camera to assure his fleet’s success. Ren ignored the blue glow of Hux’s datapad to focus on Ares’ energy in the Force.

Like Hux’s datapad, Ares gave off a soft blue glow in the Force, like a beacon of innocence. Ares being asleep helped Ren lull himself to sleep, ignoring the man who let him in his bed. 

He didn’t understand Hux, but he could understand Ares at the very least. Hux was right about one thing: no matter how they fought or pulled one another at the seams, they were connected through Ares. If they screamed, they’d stop when Ares cried; if they scratched and snapped their jaws, they’d cease when Ares felt mental anguish; if they ruled the galaxy, they’d hand it to Ares at the end.

Ren wondered if ferocity and good parenting mixed well. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a comment! 
> 
> i'll be traveling but i'll try to update more. tell me what you think of tros too. personally, i felt it was very lacking in a lot of departments and the pacing was off. without any spoilers i just feel like they made BAD choices or they didn't build off some of their choices ;/ 
> 
> anyway, here's to the trilogy. TFA is the most valid episode for the trilogy.
> 
> parenting kylux is here and doing.. alright i guess? like i still got to get through two movies for this fanfic... tros not included but pryde is here so.


	21. Illusions of the Sith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we back here with ren and his baby only interactions! you know he's trying. the plot gets thicc here, sorry i like mystery a lot lol.
> 
> I also went to the Galaxy's Edge at Disney (takes place on Black Spire, Batuu) and it was really fun! The Rise of the Resistance ride is one of the best, most immersive rides I've ever been on the effects are like magic! and of course i loved seeing the hux and kylo interactions on the ride... i also went into the cantina and it was so cool (expensive tho)! you already know i played for the dark side at the black spire 
> 
> leave a comment and a kudos! <3

On Arkanis, there was a tradition of not naming your child until they reached a full year of life. Hux’s family didn’t follow that tradition and neither had he, yet there was something relieving about Ares’ first full year of life. Ares was an active, curious child. He was loud and needy and had grown to prefer his parents over the NAN-E droid. He didn’t mind her, she just didn’t have the warm, safe chest like Ren did or bright colors and soft hands like Hux did. Most of all, he was healthy and alive. 

The knights had come and gave Ares gifts, then left swiftly as if they were never there. The gifts were more practical for Ares and his parents. Vision and Gyro Ren specifically had brought Ares a floating crib that was shaped almost like a bean. It was made of grey shiny metal and the inside was lined softly. There was an option to pull a hood over the crib to hide Ares. Vision Ren handed Hux a remote for the crib and then went off with Gyro, wordlessly (Gyro, oppositely, was extremely chatty).  The old crib stayed in Hux’s chambers and he tucked the new crib away for the time being. He didn’t see a need for Ares to follow him; he wasn’t going to bring Ares around much of anywhere quite yet and by the time he was ready, Ares would’ve most likely outgrown the pod crib. 

Weeks after Ares’ birthday, Hux packed a light bag and watched Ares lay back on his bed, kicking his feet and drinking from a bottle. He didn’t seem to notice that his father was packing to leave him. Ares and Hux had not been separated for more than a few hours since he was born. Hux knew that had to change. He’d have to stay at Starkiller base soon, but he was unsure if he wanted to let Ares on the planet-turned-superweapon. Sure it  _ had  _ been a planet, but it was specifically made to be a statement of power. The _Finalizer_ was different in that context; it was a warship, but it also could calmly explore the galaxy. 

Ren was leaning against the wall next to Hux’s bed, observing every kick of Ares’ little feet. Ren had tied up Ares’ growing hair, making him look much like a palm tree from how it stuck up straight. 

“Are you sure you are prepared, Ren? I don’t take this lightly; you will not cause any chaos or I swear to you I will never let you see Ares again, even if it kills me,” Hux strictly told Ren when he was preparing his bag to go to Quirinal once again. 

“I feel like you said that last time yet here I am,” Ren said smugly. Hux glared at Ren and loudly shut his suitcase. “Of course I am prepared, he is of my flesh and blood. I think I can take care of my son. Even where I may falter, the Force will guide me.” 

Hux snorted. “Really? The Force is going to guide you about taking care of a baby? Seriously Ren, even I know you aren’t that delusional.” 

Ren narrowed his eyes. “Not in the most literal sense. I’ll just be able to know how he feels earlier than you could. This will be a good opportunity for me to observe how he reacts to the Force.” 

“Do not use the Force to mess with our son. We don’t need to find out if there are any unintended consequences.”

“Have faith in me, General. I only want my son to prosper.” Hux looked away, afraid his face would reveal his doubt. 

Hux picked up his suitcase and checked his datapad, letting out a tired sigh. He looked at Ares, who was nearly done with his bottle and reached over to give his son a pat on the head. Ares stared at him and took the bottle from his mouth and held it out to Hux, making small noises as if to offer it to Hux. 

“‘Ish!” said Ares, in an attempt to say ‘this.’ 

“Ask your dad,” Hux said. Something warm filled Ren’s chest at Hux acknowledging so softly that he was a ‘dad.’ Ares didn’t turn to Ren and instead put the nipple of the bottle back into his mouth and greedily drank at the rest. “He’s going to get angry when he’s done. Well, sometimes he does. I figure he gets that from you.”

“He clearly doesn’t get it from you given that you hardly eat,” Ren said casually. He twitched, realizing he wasn’t supposed to know that, but Hux didn’t react. 

“If you need anything Ren, and I mean  _ anything _ , contact me via our private channel. Do not risk our son’s health or safety just to retain your pride,” Hux said firmly, waving a fierce finger at Ren. Ren rolled his eyes. 

“How surprising that you’ll let me talk to you.” Hux scowled, his cheeks turning red. Ren cleared just throat, realizing he was being unnecessarily crude to the General who was just anxious about leaving his son. “I will be fine Hux. You forget that I’m also a leader.” 

“You know, I do forget considering how much of your slack I pick up,” Hux said. Ren didn’t laugh, but he didn’t choke Hux either which seemed like a good sign. “I’ll be back soon, Ares. Take care of Ren.”

Ares didn’t know what Hux was saying but somehow felt that Hux was leaving. He whined, reaching out to Hux with his free hand while keeping his bottle in his mouth. Hux’s face stayed neutral, but Ren knew that his General was feeling some internal anguish and anxiety for leaving his son behind. 

Hux left the room and headed for the door; his shuttle was waiting for him. Ren felt a strange sensation in his chest and jump up and followed after Hux, leaving Ares on the bed. Ren grabbed Hux’s wrist before he could leave. Hux whipped around, baffled, and Ren slipped something on his wrist.

Hux looked to his wrist, seeing that Ren had given him a homing device. It was black with red lines that would glow once he pressed the button in the middle that appeared as some sort of decorative stone. 

“In case you need me. When we visited Quirinal the first time someone tried to assassinate us. Just like you said for me to communicate to you any problems I come across, you may also contact me for anything,” Ren offered, his voice low but gentle. Hux fidgeted with the bracelet, his eyes wide. He inevitably removed it from his wrist and put it in his pocket.

“I’ll be fine, I won’t travel outside the palace without my guards. I already have an emergency tracking device on me at all times anyway,” he told Ren sternly. 

“Do I have access to it?”

“Ah, no not specifically. But I’m prepared for anything Ren, you forget that I am very capable. Top of my class.” 

“Right, at bootlickers academy.” Hux rolled his eyes and opened the door. 

“Bye Ren.” Hux left and suddenly his chambers felt very cold and empty. 

Ren stood there silently, thinking for a moment. He strode back into Hux’s chambers where Ares was sitting up, staring at his empty bottle. Ares' eyes wandered around the room and he began to make sad noises, jutting out his lip and whining. 

“Aah! Da...da…” Ares managed to whimper out. Awkwardly, Ren went over to the upset toddler and sat next to him on Hux’s bed. Ares threw his bottle down on the bed as violently as a one-year-old could. He looked up at Ren with sad, blue eyes. 

“Hux will be back soon. You can spend time with me,” Ren told his son. Ares began to cry and Ren felt slightly insulted. Ren scratched the back of his neck. 

Ares sniffled, coughed, and put his arms up crying “up!” and Ren picked him up and put him in his lap. Ares immediately calmed down once he sat close to Ren. He reached out to his bottle, making little noises. It twitched; Ren knew his son was trying to use the Force. Of course, he wasn’t successful and began to whine again since his bottle wouldn't magically come into his fist. Ren snatched it and put it in Ares’ small hands, but without anything to drink in it, he threw it again and cried. 

“I don’t think I’m supposed to feed you again so soon,” Ren told Ares as if he could comprehend anything of what he meant. 

Ren quickly realized that watching Ares wouldn’t be as simple as he anticipated. He knew this in the back of his mind, naturally, but he hadn’t thought about how Ares’ own personality would come into play. Ares, overall, was a very talkative and needy baby, attached to people. Ren wondered if Hux gave Ares anything he wanted or if he treated Ares in a similar style to how he oversaw his armies.

Taking a deep breath in, Ren put a hand to Ares’ stomach and held him a little closer to his chest. The comforting Force-feeling calmed Ares and he grew fascinated as Ren’s powers gave Ares bliss. Ares relaxed and let himself sit idly with his other dad, putting two and two together and slowly realizing that Ren shared a similar power to him and that they were connected. 

“The Force, Ares, do you feel it?” Ren asked. Ares made a little noise like a giggle which Ren took as an agreement. 

Ren pulled Ares’ strawberry-golden hair out of its high ponytail and let his hair fall in front of his face. Looking at Ares, Ren began to notice how his son’s hair fell like his and had similar curls and waves that he did. Ares reached up to Ren, grabbing at his shirt. Ren lifted Ares to his side and got off the bed. Ares tried to grab at Ren’s nose obsessively and cried again when Ren pushed his hand away.

The Knight of Ren realized it was going to be a long three days. 

 

///

 

Ares was a crier. Ren knew that. He wasn’t necessarily prepared for it, but he knew it. He cared about Ares but he couldn’t stand his crying. Ren thought the older babies got the less they cried, but he was mistaken. 

Ares cried about the smallest things. Ren wasn’t sure if that was just Ares’ personality or if one-year-olds just were whiny. He got angry easily as well. He cried when he ran out of his milk; Ren figured out he wanted to be held after he ate. He cried because of his growing teeth and tried to chew on everything. He cried when Ren didn’t sit with him when he ate his favorite baby snacks (which were these flavored grains in the shape of flowers), he cried when Ren ignored his throwing of toys, and he cried whenever he was mildly inconvenienced. 

Most of all, Ares seemed to cry when he noticed Hux’s absence. Ren figured that Ares was having a hard time understanding why he couldn’t find Hux with the Force. He was so used to beckoning Hux to his every call that it frightened him to think his father wasn’t there. Ren tried to be understanding of his baby, but he also grew tired. 

As Ren warmed a bottle, Ares wandered around. He walked stiffly but didn’t seem to notice. Ren would hear the paddling noises Ares' bare feet made against the icy floor, knowing that his son was leaving marks across Hux's floors. He had unfortunately forgotten to put Ares into some socks. Ares pressed his fingers on almost every surface he could get to. Ren hoped Ares hadn’t got his fingerprints anywhere as well. He wasn’t there to be a maid, but he could already hear Hux's complaints about the mess and about his incompetence. 

“Don’t do that,” Ren instructed when Ares began to try to open drawers. Ares stopped but pouted. He continued to wander, singing to himself. 

Ren swept Ares off the floor with one hand and put the fresh bottle into Ares’ little hands. He greedily held it in his mouth and slurped it down. Ren sat on Hux’s couch and placed Ares next to him. He wanted to rest. He hadn’t slept too well the last few days. Ares sometimes kept him up crying or Ren would feel too anxious to sleep, worried he’d miss something if he dozed off. He began to understand how Hux felt. 

Ren only managed to shut his eyes for a couple of minutes before his comlink started buzzing. He growled and snatched it. Before he answered it, he stopped himself short and stared at Ares. He couldn’t answer with Ares in the room, he realized, someone might hear him in the background.  He picked Ares up once again and put him into his crib, closing the door to Hux’s room. He estimated that Ares would start crying once his drink ran out. He locked himself in Hux’s refresher and answered his call.

“What?” He asked rudely, his voice impatient. If he couldn't lash out at his son, certainly someone else had to get his rage.

“Sir, Captain Phasma here,” the captain answered. She was wearing her helmet, he figured, by the sound of her voice. “There’s an unregistered ship asking to board the  _ Finalizer _ .”

“Who is it?”

“She says she’s one of your knights, Arla Ren. Are you expecting one of your Knights of Ren?” Ren wanted to shatter his comlink.

He didn’t know why Arla was arriving unexpectedly. Any of his knights would usually contact him ahead of appearing within even a star system of their Master; he was growing tired of Arla’s sharp tongue and independence. She was younger than his other knights and she was technically the least experienced, but he still found her insubordination inexcusable. If she worked for Hux, she’d probably be sent to reconditioning time and time again.

“Let her on.” Ren thought for a moment. “Tell Lieutenant Mitaka to bring her to me. I’ll instruct him on my location.”

Captain Phasma was silent for a second, obviously confused. “Yes, sir.”

Ren signed off quickly after Phasma’s agreement, not wanting to find out if she had any more inquiries. He didn’t like having to ask Mitaka to assist him (he didn’t like Mitaka in general) but the pitiful Lieutenant was the only one on the  _ Finalizer _ aware of his situation with Hux. 

Soon enough, there was a banging at the door. Ares had begun to cry from the confines of his crib, but Hux’s bedchambers were soundproof enough that the sound was distorted and sounded distant. Ren strode over and opened the door to see the gridded mask of Arla Ren look up to him. Mitaka was trembling behind her, perplexed and intimidated by the knight he led. Amusingly, Arla was shorter than Lieutenant Mitaka so Ren half wanted to snort at how the Lieutenant fretted about the short woman (granted, he didn’t know what was behind the mask). 

“You can be off, Lieutenant,” Ren said in a low voice. Mitaka scurried off helplessly, knowing he had no control over the situation even if he had Hux’s approval to help care for little Ares. 

She entered the room wordlessly. Arla put her hands to her helmet but Ren stopped her before she could free herself from her grid. She put her hands down to her side and stood stiffly in front of him.

“Do you just assume you can unmask? You are a Knight of Ren. Not even the lowly stormtroopers would take off their masks in disobedience,” Ren thundered. He did feel too exposed to her without his usual cloaks and his mask, but she was in loyal servitude to him so he tried not to think about it too much. 

Arla cocked her head as if to look past Ren. “I think your baby is crying.” 

“You didn’t come here to play babysitter. Tell me why you have come to me without warning. I’m handling a delicate situation.” 

“What, you mean being a parent? I hope the situation isn’t that delicate. Master Snoke is expecting much out of you,” she sneered, cracking her knuckles at her sides. 

Ren usually wouldn’t become hostile towards his knights but he had very little patience today. His sleep schedule was off and his son was a shrill ringing in his ear. He put his hand out to her threateningly, as if to choke her. She stretched her neck upwards but stayed still. 

“You have been testing me, Arla. I find your recent attitude, your more obvious willingness to talk back, and that idea of you believing you are an individual revolting. You are my  _ knight  _ and you will not question me or act out again, understand? Master Snoke will be the least of your worries if I find you to be too detestable. And stop  _ talking  _ so much, people will not take you seriously without an atmosphere of mystery and grim fearlessness.” 

Ren heard her swallow. He cocked an eyebrow at her and she just nodded her head, almost shameful. 

“Yes Master Ren. As long as we stay on Master Snoke’s path I will not question you.”

Her truthfulness was there, yet there was a certain underlying threat to her tone. He knew in the back of his mind that Arla preferred Ren to Snoke any day, but she wouldn’t stray from his path. Her path was more in line with Kylo Ren’s, whereas the other knights had unwavering double loyalty to both their masters and followed paths that didn’t always align with Kylo’s desires or ideas. He didn’t care, they still did what he wanted because what wanted was what Snoke wanted. She, in theory, was his right-hand man; she was appointed by Snoke but chosen by Ren. 

He didn’t have the energy to dwell on her importance for the time being. Ares was still crying and Ren went off to fetch him. Ares sniffled and put his hands up when Ren entered; he let his father use the Force to lift him up and float him into his chest. It took Ares a moment to calm down but eventually, he stopped crying. His face was wet and red and his eyes were sparkling with worry. Ren said nothing and let his heartbeat speak to Ares soothingly. 

He came back out and Arla was still frozen in place, her head bowed down slightly to show her submission to her Master. Ares stared at her curiously, still squeezed close to his father’s warm, protective chest. 

“What did you want to discuss with me so urgently?” Ren asked. He didn’t know if she would take him entirely seriously with a cute baby nuzzling against him, but she didn’t react to Ares’ presence. 

“I had a disturbing vision that I must discuss with you. The Force feels strange through my bones; I think something dangerous lurks,” Arla explained quickly, her fingers anxiously twitching at her side.

“You sensed the dark side acting oddly?” He tried clarifying but she shook her head. 

“No, Master. Maybe it comes from the dark side but it’s… different.” Arla Ren looked from side to side. “Where is your General?”

“Do you suspect Hux is in danger?” Ren asked, his words coming out rushed. Arla tilted her head. 

“I don’t know. That’s not my main concern though,” she said, her tone teetering on jeering at her Master subliminally. Ren shifted his jaw. 

“Why did you bother me with such trivial things? If you can’t figure out what the Force is saying to you then why bother telling me? You are wasting my time.”

“Wasting time? There’s some perpetual danger coming yet you are twiddling your thumbs and going against Snoke’s orders. Kylo—” 

“Do not talk to me like you know anything of what I’m going through!” He boomed, baring his teeth at her and leaning over her. Ares sniffled and trembled at his father’s loud voice. Ren straightened and rubbed his son’s back, but kept his dark expression. 

The Force moved strangely through all of them, almost as if it was alarmed. Suddenly, Ren and Arla stumbled; a deep, low rumbling was violating their ears. The noise wasn’t from the Force, it was coming from Hux’s chambers. The two knights looked to each other and rushed into Hux’s room without a second thought. Ren dropped Ares back into his crib. He didn’t fuss this time. The baby chewed on some soft toys in his crib. 

They searched around Hux’s room, desperate to find the source of the buzzing. They tried not to tear apart Hux’s room, knowing the General would lose his mind over a mess but had to rip out a drawer to find the source of the noise and the Force’s strange movement. 

Inside the drawer was a box and inside that box was the sith holocron Arla had given to Hux as a gift for Ares’ birth. The pyramid-shaped holocron was glowing a soft red and buzzing with life. Ren carefully put his hand on the holocron and it stopped buzzing, but its red glow remained. 

“Where’s the other holocron? The light side one,” Arla asked, exasperated.

“I don’t know. I’m more worried about this one; this was probably the threat you were feeling,” Ren said calmly. 

“We should open it,” Arla suggested, antsy. 

“I wouldn’t recommend that, especially in the realm of General Hux’s chambers. We don’t know what will happen, or what will we see.” 

“It’s just a message from the past, I’m sure the General’s sanctuary will be fine.”

“And Ares?” Ren looked over to his son who was sitting in his crib, looking sleepy and bored. His face looked extremely similar to Hux’s when he was bored; there was an annoyance, sleepiness, and a desire to do  _ something _ in his face.

“Ah, that’s true. Perhaps it will be safer to meditate over this? It’s up to you, Master. It’s your gift.”

“A gift you brought forward, if you recall.” Arla looked down at the holocron; Ren groaned in annoyance. “I’ve never seen a holocron glow like this with nobody reacting to it. Perhaps we should just open it.” 

“I found it with the light side holocron, did you open the other one by any chance? Perhaps they are interconnected.”

“Holocrons can only be opened with a kyber crystal and by a force user, and I haven’t seen or opened the other one.” Growing frustrated, Ren exclaimed, “I don’t want to be bothered by this right now! Find me the other holocron.” 

Arla followed his order, searching through Hux’s chambers while trying to keep the room intact and unnoticeably disturbed. In a hidden drawer compartment, Arla found another box like the one that held the dark side holocron. She offered to Ren and he snatched it from her hands. When he opened it, his eyes widened. The box didn’t have a holocron; it held a little blaster. Ren didn’t know if it was a mistake or if Hux was hiding a blaster. He didn’t know why Hux would need to hide a blaster in such an inconvenient place, it looked utterly unimportant to be hidden so discreetly. 

They sat on the ground, crossed legged with their hands on their knees, facing back to back. They tried to use the Force to search for the missing holocron. Their methods were different; Ren’s searching was like a violent storm that burst through anything and everything quickly, while Arla Ren’s use of the Force was like a snake: slithering patiently and waiting for an opportunity to strike at its prey. They found nothing. 

They couldn’t imagine Hux taking one holocron but not the other, in fact, they couldn’t imagine Hux bothering with the holocrons at all. The only other person Ren could think of that may tamper with Hux’s room was Lieutenant Mitaka, as he was the only one with any access. Ren sent Arla out to interrogate the Lieutenant, but specified not to hurt him; he knew Hux didn’t want his Lieutenant to have any danger. 

Once Arla left, Ren decided to scoop up Ares and place him in his lap. Ares babbled and reached out to the glowing sith holocron. Ren didn’t like the idea of his son playing with something potentially dangerous, but the holocron was  _ for  _ Ares. He didn’t think Arla would put Ares in any intentional danger and he also didn’t think Snoke would let Ares be in danger either; his Master would’ve warned him if he sensed something not according to plan. Ares was Snoke’s next plan, surely he didn’t want the young prodigy’s life in danger. 

Ren slowly drew the holocron into his hand and held it in front of Ares, watching the red light glow on Ares’ chubby face. The light looked unnatural and threatening, it didn’t belong on the smooth and gentle curious expression of his son. Babies were untainted by light and dark; they had no deep desires or emotional depth to be connected to any side. The dark and light may have been present around Ares, but it did not influence him. How could it when all he thought about is that something shiny was interesting and thought nothing beyond what it could do or what it was? 

Ren let Ares touch the holocron and its glowing softened. Ren didn’t understand if that meant Ares had the dark side or the light side in him or if he had anything at all. He didn’t understand the device. Looking to the wall, he wondered what would happen if he chucked the damn device. 

“Da... Da da da,” Ares began to whine, looking up at Ren and bending his fingers towards his hair. 

“Yes?” Ren asked but Ares seemed disappointed.

Ares shook his head dramatically, having not yet grasped how to signify 'no.' “Nah! Da! Da da… pa!” Ares just to assert but was again, misunderstood for a moment. Ares began to cry and removed his hand from the holocron, kicking his legs. The holocron suddenly stopped glowing and returned to its dormant state. 

Ren began to understand what Ares was asking for once again. He was crying for Hux, it always led back to Hux. Hux and his sarcastic comments, snobbery, and his constant disappointment in others; Hux with his fiery red hair to match his anger, his blue-green eyes to portray the oceans he never had step foot in but instead would control, and his pale white skin that showed how little he was off the ship. Hux with his skinny body that seemed so fragile for a General to have, his gentle hands that would hold Ares so lovingly, and his unsure eyes that hid the emotions that were stirring behind. Hux, Hux, _Hux_ , it was always Hux. Ares wanted Hux. He wanted the dad that was always there.

He was scared without him. Ren’s brain flashed with imagery of Hux, and he realized why Ares had been so upset.

Hux was in danger, somehow. He hadn’t contacted Ren, but Ren knew deep within the dark Force that Hux was in danger. The holocron had somehow signaled something  _ wrong  _ within the Force, at least that’s what Ren concluded. 

Ren picked up his comlink and tried to contact Hux. 

The line rang and rang and Ren sat in the dark, waiting with his son whimpering in his arms. 

Nothing. There was nothing. For a long time, Ren just mindlessly waited for nothing to come.

Late in the night, Arla returned. She seemed rugged and drained and entered with an unnerving quietness. Ares had since been put to bed but Ren was still meditating over the holocron. He had since given up on contacting Hux and was trying to find him in the Force but couldn’t; the man was too far away and his energy was too detached from Ren’s own.

“He betrayed you,” Arla said coldly, appearing in front of him with little notice. Ren snapped out of his focus. Her stance was solemn. 

“What did you say?”

“I don’t know how but… I felt it in the Force while searching. Something dark and secretive that goes behind your back. He somehow betrayed you,” she answered grimly. Ren clenched his fist, unsure how she could feel such a thing while he couldn’t. Cruelly, Arla added, “Now you see how your kindness towards the General is repaid, he leaves and abandons anything he promised to you. You should’ve betrayed him yourself. Now there’s a mess I can not identify.”

Ren gritted his teeth and wanted to scream despite the lack of information, but instead, he swallowed it down so Ares would sleep. He considered the information for a moment, thinking about  _ betrayal _ . How would have Hux betrayed him? Ren thought, realistically, that he had betrayed Hux first when he throttled the General after he was already hurt. Arla didn’t see that as a betrayal though, it was just how Ren was. 

He didn't like that he didn't understand what was going on. He concluded Hux wasn't dying, but there was something wrong and he didn't know what it was. He hated the uncertainty and he especially hated that he wasn't the one to find it first. 

“Leave,” he demanded of her, “I will figure this out myself. Do not infer unless I ask.”

She was quiet for a moment then replied with, “Yes, Master,” before vanishing out of Hux’s chambers to return to whatever she had been doing beforehand. 

Ren got up and peered over Ares’ crib, watching the baby slept peacefully and unaware of whatever was going on in the Force. Ren thought of betrayal, wondering if Hux activated the other holocron somehow. Had he taken it with him? No, the General wanted nothing to do with the Force. 

Ren pulled up Ares’ little baby blanket back over his body and stayed staring at his son, wondering what was to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> of course i have to balance out anything good with many bad things... i hope you don't mind the interactions kylo and ren have with "made up" or side characters! kylo ren is trying as a parent but how far will the knight go to protect his son but also earn the respect of the General? 
> 
> do you like the lengths of the chapters? i dont want to make them too long and like to break them up by their topics but i dont know if people like tons of chapters.
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> comment anything below i love ur comments! <3 next weeks chapter may be longer, it will feature what is happening on hux's end during this mess. also im tired of autocorrect telling me all these star wars words arent real sis i know lemme say holocron fifty times pls


	22. Secrets that Solve Riddles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the sw fandom is crazy so enjoy this edgy and somewhat heartfelt kylux fanfic lmao. remember kids, have the capacity to analyze the good and evil in someone but don't assume someone is good because they did one good thing once, and don't think someone is bad because they criticize a piece of media. if u know what im referring to im not here to start beef im just flabbergasted.
> 
> thats the tea. ur goddess has spoken. enjoy general hux Not Having a Good Time. 
> 
> cw: manipulation, somewhat dubious consent (nothing explicit, but it's suspect)

Quirinal was as hot as Hux remembered. He fretted to his personal stormtroopers about the heat and then complained about the layout of Prince Himero’s castle, already anticipating being lost within its confines. Of course, the stormtroopers merely listened; he didn’t want their opinions anyway. He was anxious to finish his negotiations to get back to Ares because he doubted Ren would be able to last a few days by himself and he’d be too stubborn to ask the NAN-E droid for assistance. 

The palace remained unchanged and so did the people; everyone was happy and hardworking and the scenery was much too corny and distasteful for Hux but he played along with a fake smile. Hux's fake smiles were usually convincing and sweet, but even now he couldn't feign a smile. Prince Himero Dolos stood at the doors to his palace, calm and grinning. He waved to Hux ecstatically and Hux gave him a tight-lipped smile. The man had hardly changed over the last two years, but he radiated less boyish energy and somehow seemed more mature and stunning, which Hux begrudgingly admitted to himself.

“General Hux, so pleased you were willing to make it. I have missed your glow!” Prince Himero cheered.

“Ah, thank you, Your Majesty,” Hux said politely. Prince Himero snatched up Hux’s hand and kissed the top of his glove. Hux felt his face heat up and he pulled his hand away. He could physically feel his troopers awkwardly look away. Sure, they’ve seen Kylo Ren rip men to shreds yet watching their fierce General earn a hand kiss somehow wounded them. 

Himero laughed. “Didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable! Just a friendly greeting.”

“Right.” 

Himero snapped his fingers and a servant Fyus appeared. “I’ll take your bags sir!” she said before scurrying off with them. 

“My dear assistant Manto is on maternity leave currently, so I do apologize if you wanted to see her. She and her wife are expecting their first baby,” Prince Himero said gleefully. Hux didn’t particularly care about Manto and assumed Himero was trying to flex his planet’s medical prowess. 

“I don’t mind,” Hux said, uninterested. 

“More time for us!” Himero teased but Hux didn’t laugh. He felt off; he thought he may have been nervous. 

For most of the day, Hux followed Himero around as he announced his accomplishments and boasted about nothing. As Himero babbled, Hux thought about the hundreds of tasks he had to accomplish back aboard his ship. Starkiller was nearly complete and Ares was older than a year, he didn’t want to be bothered by Himero’s issues yet he stayed and listened. 

Himero was characteristically smug and happy throughout the day, undeterred by Hux’s strict stormtroopers and the General’s unfazed face. Hux usually wouldn’t be so upfront about his passiveness during negotiations, but Himero was dragging him along and he knew Himero wouldn’t be offended by his straight face. In fact, Hux’s plain expression seemed to only push the prince into wanting to impress him more which Hux thought played in his favor. 

Hux wanted to talk to the King but learned King Vespasian Dolos would only see Hux tomorrow for some unexplained reason. Hux assumed Himero just wanted to entertain him before he inevitably had to argue with his father. 

The two had a lonesome lunch on a balcony looking over Quirinal’s lovely oceans. Their native birds flew through the air and made their love calls as the two ate, lunching on fine crustaceans and drinking wine. Hux hadn’t realized how long it had been since he had a drink because the red wine stung when it hit his lips, but he sipped it anyway. 

Hux usually had a rule about eating things with too many legs and he also had never tried oysters, but he was amiable enough to put some effort into eating. He learned he hated oysters and was glad no one but the prince was there to see him gag as he swallowed one down. With the troopers and palace workers away, Himero finally had the freedom to ask what he wanted.

“How is baby Ares?” Himero asked. Hux froze for a moment, his mind blanking. He knew Himero knew about Ares, but he forgot to consider how much the prince would ask about his son. 

“He’s fine,” Hux said vaguely, putting the wine glass to his lips.

“Ah, I bet. Raised by the finest General! I take it someone is looking after him?”

“Of course. I can’t leave a baby unattended,” Hux replied, squirming a bit. He knew Himero was going to fish for answers he perhaps didn’t want to tell, but there was something enticing about being able to talk to someone about his son who seemed interested. His tongue wanted to brag, to confer, to discuss with someone his life as a parent but his parenting life and work-life couldn’t mix. 

“Who’s looking after him?”

“Lord Ren.” Himero’s face turned sour. Hux agreed internally. “I’m aware, but he does, unfortunately, have a right to his child even if I disagree. Not that it concerns you, but he does want Ares to succeed and grow in strength and with glory.” 

“So it appears you and the Knight have a soft spot for baby Ares then?” Himero asked with a smile, breaking off another crab leg. His happy face discomforted Hux. 

“I wouldn’t call it soft, we are commanders after all. At the very least it’s considerate. I don’t believe in making children grow up weak, especially my son. He doesn’t have much say anyway.” It did feel nice to talk about Ares yet Hux wanted to scratch at his skin as if each bit of information he supplied would ruin everything he built. In theory, it could, but realistically discussing a baby with a prince who came from a planet that valued children would pose very little risk. 

Himero laugh. “Nonsense! All parents have a soft spot for their kids! Even you, General Hux. I see it in your eyes, your compassion.”

“Not all parents,” Hux muttered into the rim of his glass. Himero heard him. 

“Sadly, you’re right, General. I can’t imagine that lightsaber-wielding knight with buckets of blood on his hands being a good father, but I trust your judgment,” Himero ranted somewhat angrily. Hux shifted his jaw, feeling as though Himero’s words were out of place. He didn’t want to defend the stupid knight, but it felt unjust letting Ares’ father get the bad end of a presumptuous stick. 

“I think Ren is a good father, all things considered. He clearly wants Ares to succeed, at the very least. He’s easier to deal with when Ares is around, which is rather unfortunate.” 

“Unfortunate that he cares?” Himero asked, forcing Hux to pause and reconsider what he revealed. “Seems like your Knight is a better person in the presence of your child, thank the Force.” 

“When may I speak to your father? I would love to show him how the First Order will continue to help your planet,” Hux said, not wanting to speak about Ares and Ren any longer. Himero smiled, knowing that Hux was avoiding the conversation but appreciating the focus. 

“Tomorrow! Tomorrow dear General, I hope you don’t mind. My father won’t be ready until tomorrow. He’s been… not his best.” It was the first time Hux heard Prince Himero falter. He didn’t mean to make the prince feel bad, and he didn’t want the prince to feel sorrowful. It may change his opinion on the First Order.

“I apologize if I sound rushed, Your Highness. I suppose I’m just anxious to… see Ares again.” He did want to see Ares, but he was trying to manipulate the prince’s feelings. Himero was a tricky man to bend to his will; Hux couldn’t tell when he got Himero in his web or if he was walking right into Himero’s trap.

“It’s alright, you seem like a great parent, if you don’t mind me saying. Fatherhood suits you, for a fearsome General,” Himero said kindly. Hux felt his face warm and he drank down the rest of his wine.

After a long day of tours and talks, Hux was freed to his room in the palace. It was the same room from the last time he was there. It felt idiosyncratic to be in the room once again where he had fought with Ren, fucked with Ren, and where he and Ren were oblivious to their parental future. The walls hadn’t changed but the room smelt different. Hux distinctly remembered the room smelling of flowers but something changed in the atmosphere. It smelt like baby powder, weirdly enough, but Hux wasn’t sure if he was smelling himself or not. His luggage was sitting in front of the door to the bedroom. He pulled it into the bedroom and threw it on the bed. The sheets were red and shiny. The bedroom smelled like roses; it was more similar to what he recalled last time but it wasn’t roses that he remembered smelling from his last visit. 

Hux unpacked his bag, putting out his sleepwear and travel-sized toiletries. He put his datapad down, relieved there weren’t any urgent messages he had to tend to. He was almost disappointed that Ren hadn’t contacted him for anything, though he was supposed to be at ease.

He dug his hand around in his bag and felt his finger brush up against something solid and strange. He pulled out the peculiar object, seeing that it was some cubic object with white designs on it. It had a reflective blue base. Hux turned it in different directions in his hand, trying to figure out what it was.

He realized it was the ‘holocron’ Arla Ren had given him as a baby shower gift for Ares. Startled, he tossed it on the bed. It sat, dormant and useless. Hux didn’t know why he disliked it so much. The impending threat of some weird Force reaction to it seemed improbable yet its presence unnerved him. He poked it again but it didn’t do anything. He didn’t know how it ended up in his bag; he swore he had hidden it away safely in a box in his chambers. 

Hux placed the holocron on his bedside table and continued digging through his bag, searching for his comb. He found a brush and realized he accidentally put Ren’s brush in his bag instead of his own. He snarled to himself and threw the brush against the headboard. He didn’t know if he was losing his mind or if Ren was messing with him, either way he was frustrated.

Despite his annoyance, he got ready for his night. The hot shower felt nice against his skin and he took the time to clean himself up as much as possible: shaving, plucking his eyebrows, skincare… Sure, he told Ren this wasn’t a vacation but he finally had the time to take care of himself so why wouldn’t he? He didn’t want to look like a disgusting mess, nobody would respect him like that. He put a headband on and laid in bed, scrolling through his datapad. 

Eventually, he fell asleep. He dreamed of cosmoses and wandering through space with a baby in his arms. He walked across the galaxy as if he could walk in empty space. He couldn’t see the baby’s face, all there was was a red glow like a star when he looked down. He pretended the baby was Ares. Ares was larger than the baby he was holding in his dreams, but Hux attributed that to how nice it was to carry something so small. As Ares got bigger, he became heavier and harder to hold with him squirming or poking or pulling at something. 

The sparkling red around him seemed to follow Hux wherever he went like a shadow. In the dream, he felt light but there were noises around him that seemed to bounce off the walls. 

_Starlight_ was a word that rang in his head as quickly as it disappeared. 

The landscape changed to the white walls of some unknown spaceship. The baby in his arms disappeared and in front of him was Ren. Ren looked behind him. 

“Keeping up, Hux?” He asked in a strange voice. There was a silver crown on his head. Hux noticed how the bundle was now in Ren’s arms. 

“Yes?” Hux responded, unsure what was going on. 

Ren chuckled kindly. “I know. My talented Emperor ready for anything, including being a wonderful father.” 

“My _what_?” Hux asked, but Ren disappeared. 

His dream kept going in different directions and he didn’t remember most of it. He kept seeing flashes of a kinder, more sympathetic Ren and a baby, who he presumed was Ares, and occasionally Snoke. Snoke, in his dream, was either extremely proud of his General or feverishly furious with him about something he didn't know. He dreamed that Snoke reached for his neck, trying to squeeze the life out of him, but a figure came and cut the hand who tried to hurt him. 

He called out “Ren?” but when the face turned, he saw a flash of blue instead of the deep, brown eyes he was used to. 

The man ignited a lightsaber with a blue blade, his intent fierce and violent. Hux gasped and fell back and—

His alarm woke him before the sun rose. His chest rose and dropped rapidly and his forehead was sweaty. He sat up slowly and wiped his forehead, then got ready for his day once again. The holocron watched him as he moved in and out of the room. 

The second day was much more serious than the last. The day was rainy which prevented Hux from leaving the palace. The rain made the air smell nice, but somehow Hux felt sticky and uncomfortable throughout the day like when a sea breeze burst against your body and left behind its residue. Prince Himero accompanied him most of the day, as he expected, but the prince was strangely quiet. All things considered, Himero was quite intimidating when he put on a straight face.

Midday, Himero took Hux to chambers of King Vespasian. The journey to the King’s chambers was heavily guarded and took and a maze of hallways to reach. Fyus and human guards practically lined the hallways and stood so still you would’ve thought they were statues. 

Prince Himero offered Hux his arm and he took it, realizing that the guards would stare at him less if he was connected to the Prince. 

The large double doors to the King’s chambers had many intricate locks on it that required four guards to open up. The sound of gears turning echoed as the doors opened and Himero and Hux stepped in. The room they were in wasn’t even the King’s bedroom— it was a large living area connected to the bedroom. The room was filled with flowers: lilies, begonias, and hollies. The smell was potent and stuck to everything in the room. Hux scrunched his nose but couldn’t help but feel calm. It was like walking through a royal terrarium. 

“They say the scent of flowers will overpower the scent of death and keep it at bay,” Himero whispered close to Hux’s ear, making sure the guards and nurses wouldn’t hear him. “But on the brighter side, they are rather nice.”

Hux merely nodded at Himero’s comment; it was rather uncomfortable to try to reply. Hux didn’t know the King was dying, but he knew the man wasn’t doing exactly well. Himero led Hux into King Vespasian’s bedchambers where he laid in golden sheets surrounded by flowers and his staff. A Fyus nurse was feeding him grapes and he was trying to talk to her while he chewed. There was a pitiful look in her eye that Hux detested; he hated the look of pity even when the scenery was sad. He thought it was degrading. 

The canopy bed had its curtains wide open, tied with the vines of planets as golden rope. King Vespasian laid in his bed, sat up slightly by elevated pillows. His skin was slightly lighter than Himero’s since he was trapped indoors. He had a shaggy white beard growing on his face and grey eyes that looked wise and secretive. 

With a wave of his hand, everyone cleared the room. The door shut behind them and the only noise left was the sound of the medical supplies hooked up around the room. King Vespasian was breathing somewhat loud but put his arms up to greet the two men.

“Don’t stand there. Come, sit by me,” he offered. Himero crossed his arms and went over like a stubborn child and Hux followed, standing by the King's bedside. He looked worn and rugged, but there was life in his gentle eyes. The color of the King's eyes were a mixture of colors like an autumn forest.

“Father, I’ve brought General Hux of the First Order with me today. I believe he can better explain to you why the First Order will help our planet best,” Himero introduced. Hux bowed his head politely, figuring the King would not want to waste his energy doing a handshake. 

“Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty. I apologize we have not met before, I hope I am not intruding,” Hux said. 

“Nonsense, you aren’t intruding. I’m glad to see new faces around here, even if you are part of that First Order. These nurses and assistants get annoying after a while,” he explained, unfiltered. Hux wasn’t too bothered, old men tended to voice their opinion carelessly.

“Ah. Your Majesty, Prince Himero has explained that you share some reservations in allowing the First Order to continue helping your planet in exchange for supplies?” Hux began carefully, trying his best to sound sympathetic but having a hard time keeping himself from cringing. Something about the flowery room and the atmosphere felt strange to Hux as if he needed to be somewhere else. 

“Even before I was King, the Dolos Dynasty never associated purely with one organization, not even the Old Republic had us! But now my son decides the First Order is needed and Leia Organa’s little friends have been spotted around the planet! I don’t like the hostilities,” King Vespasian voiced strongly. He didn’t suggest that he disliked the Order, only the attention it brought. 

Hux ground his teeth, not realizing Leia’s lot had been spotted on their territory. It could have been a coincidence given that the planet was popular with tourists, but Hux didn’t want to take any risk. He made a mental note to discreetly increase the troopers on the planet, just in case. The King seemed unaware that his planet was also being used by the Order as a resting spot for some of their ships and a part of their trade route. 

The First Order, for the most part, had been left alone by any of the loathsome Resistance or New Republic forces. He figured they were too busy being laundered money and not caring about outer rim worlds to even want to stick their nose in the First Order’s business. He knew the Resistance was sneakily trying to sabotage his work in little ways given that the New Republic wouldn’t fully allow them to admit they were threatened, but Hux knew the Resistance vipers were looking for wherever they could to strike. Hux was sure the galaxy had taken notice of The Order’s hold on Quirinal since it was a considerably well off and populated planet. 

“King Vespasian, your son requested us to help protect your planet from neighboring hostile planets and groups since this planet is filled with life. My troopers are meticulously trained and highly capable, they will not bother anyone and have been strictly instructed to protect the planet and keep an eye out for you. I believe our agreement is peaceful enough,” Hux explained but the King only seemed to sulk. Prince Himero stepped in.

“Father, General Hux here is one of the finest men I know. I believe he is a part of the future of Quirinal. He is intelligent and knows what he wants. Allow me to handle all of our dealings with the Order. I believe it’s for the destiny of the galaxy that we keep in touch with General Hux here,” Himero explained. Hux gave Himero a strange look at the string of compliments he supplied. 

“Intelligence isn’t always good if he outsmarts you, Himero,” the King scrutinized but Himero grew an old smirk on his face. His expression seemed dark. “I can’t base our alliance off of someone merely ruthless and calculating! Quirinal is a planet of generations and children, what will we tell our people?”

Hux swallowed hard, his fingers tapping at his side. He had an ace up his sleeve, he knew he did. He hadn’t realized King Vespasian was oblivious to his situation, but then again the King didn’t even know who he was. Quirinal was a planet that valued children and youth above everything else. Hux knew he could convince the King, but wasn’t sure if he wanted to expose himself so willingly. It was a risk, a risk he wasn’t sure he wanted to take.

Himero decided to take the risk for him.

“Father, General Hux _is_ a man of family and generations. He has personal ties to our planet, his _son_ was born here,” Himero supplied quickly before Hux could stop him. Hux’s face turned ruby red and his hands felt clammy in his gloves. He looked to the King, seeing that the man’s interest was piqued. He knew Vespasian would be interested in Ares, but he still didn’t like his son being known quite yet. 

Hux didn’t know why Himero was so intent on keeping the First Order. He was relieved to find willing allies, yet he couldn’t help but think Himero had alternative motives outside their contracted agreement. The stress of protecting Ares and wanting him to be safely known was becoming out of balance. Hux took in a deep breath and contained himself, but his blush was still apparent.

His gentle cheeks allowed for the King to trust him more, believing the General to have some humanity.

“A son born here? This is news to me. So there are personal ties to this planet as well?” King Vespasian asked, coughing afterward. 

“Yes, Your Majesty. Though it’s not the true reason I wish to keep our alliance, I hope you understand.” The king laughed, unconvinced. Hux let the King think whatever he wanted. 

“Right, right… May I see a holo of your son?” The King asked.

Hux froze. He felt like a different person when he talked about Ares. His son was precious and gentle, unlike both his fathers, but Hux felt more exposed when Ares was involved. He shouldn’t show the King a holo of Ares, his son was his own and his own alone, but he did because something inside him told him to. He didn’t know if it was out of political necessity or if he was dying for someone to appreciate his son. 

Hux turned on his datapad and scrolled through his holos. He didn’t take many holos of Ares, but the most recent one was from his first birth year celebration (though there wasn’t much partying). In the holo, Ares was sitting upright against his ice blue couch with his wampa plush in one hand. His light eyes were looking up, not paying attention to the datapad but instead to the person holding it. 

He turned the datapad to the King and allowed him to stare at it, but didn’t let him hold his device. The King gave a small smile and chuckled. Himero leaned over to see as well. 

“He very much looks like you, General Hux. Bright hair, bright eyes, but  he looks about as fat and healthy as a pumpkin!” The King rejoiced.

“Fat in a good way?” Hux asked, somewhat nervous. He wanted to slap himself, knowing he sounded like he was a nervous mother looking for advice. The King took no mind and laughed. 

“Babies are supposed to be fat! Otherwise they’ll be too skinny when they grow up, like you.” Hux ignored the insult, knowing the King didn’t mean it as a jab but more as advice. 

“He’s one precious little youngling, I’ll give you that General. I guess even someone so fearsome really can create something so sweet.” Hux feels himself begin to flush. He took back his datapad and turned it off, his stomach fluttering with embarrassed butterflies. “You make fine children, General Hux.” 

Himero’s comment sat strangely in Hux’s mind. It’s another compliment, a peculiar one at most, yet the phrase makes Hux’s brain lull for a second. He blinked and returned back to reality. 

“So, about the alliance?” Hux asked softly, trying to play off the King’s admiration for his parenting.

“Right, let us talk then, General.” The King shifted in his bed and folded his hands across his stomach. 

 

///

 

The First Order would continue to be allied with Quirinal. Even better, the King agreed to put a whole new port in just for First Order ships and trading vessels, but only because Hux pretended to swoon like a loving parent and flatter the King’s planet. The compliments and long, loving speeches about Ares flowed off Hux’s tongue so easily after awhile that he almost didn’t remember he was trying to persuade the King. Himero’s eyes stayed on him most of the negotiations, his mouth sealed tight and quirked upwards. 

Hux felt giddy because of his success, yet somewhere in the bottom of stomach sat a heavy stone that tossed and turned unsteadily. He wanted to be proud but he knew at the back of his mind something was gently tugging away at his will to be happy with the simple thing he had. 

By the end of the day, Hux freely retired to his room and smirked to himself; he anticipated great praise from Supreme Leader Snoke when he returned. He planned to also rub it in Ren’s face that his mission was successful _without_ his supposed flirtation. Hux plopped back onto the bed and opened his datapad. It opened to the picture of Ares he had and Hux’s pride suddenly simmered out and his face softened longingly. 

He supposed he did miss Ares, quite a lot actually. He had never been so detached from his son. He didn’t know if his longing to be with his child made him a bad General but a good father.

He rather be both. 

He had to be both. 

He pictured Ares fat little cheeks and his curious hands that wanted to touch everything, to test out what it was and then look to Hux to see how he would react. Ares always played that game of cause and effect. His little mind slowly figured out that if he threw his bottle, Hux would fetch it for him with a sour face. If he showed his dad is toys, Hux would acknowledge him with a gentle face. Hux figured right now that Ares was learning that all the crying in the galaxy wouldn’t bring his father to him. 

Hux wanted to call Ren to check up on everything, but he didn’t. He had to let himself trust that Ren was doing the right thing for his son. Ren was notably less hostile when Ares was around and perhaps was even more considerate of Hux; it was something Hux craved in Ren. He wanted to keep that sweet control over Ren to prevent their fighting and Ren’s wrath around his throat. He needed Ren to work with him and the only thing that helped them was Ares. 

Hux took a deep breath and changed into his nice black pajamas. Some days he slept in a sleeveless shirt and his boxers but when he was off the ship he felt more exposed so he felt more inclined to wear actual sleepwear. 

_Starlight_.

Hux’s head shot up. There it was again, that phrase “Starlight” that rang in his ears and beckoned him strangely. He didn’t know what it was. He didn’t know where he had heard it to become so obsessed with the phrase. At first, he thought it was because of Starkiller Base, but the more he thought of the word the less it seemed to associate with his fearsome weapon. 

He shook his head and laid down upon his pillow and silky sheets. He needed rest was all. The word was meaningless. It was just a word, weightless and without purpose.

Hux awoke again when he thought he heard the cry of his son in the distance. His body shot up and he jumped off the left side of the bed where Ares’ crib would’ve been but, alas, Ares was on a ship far, far away with Ren and nowhere in sight. Hux went over to the wide windows and threw open the curtains. Quirinal’s large moon was almost full and was surrounded by stars. It was uncomfortably bright so Hux shut the curtains again. 

Hux put his hands to his head. It was the longing again, he figured, and he tried to push it away but he heard another sound close to Ares’ crying and wanted to leap into the ocean beyond the palace. He felt like he was losing his seams being apart from Ares. It was pathetic for the General to feel so lost, so desperate for something familiar. He had never been like this, yet no matter how many times he told himself it was weakness to be attached to someone who would be ripped from his arms, he felt something strong inside of him grow with the mere thought of having his own generation to have the galaxy after him. 

He wandered into the refresher and splashed some cold water on his face. His eyes were wild and bright; it was like there was a stranger in the mirror. Hux didn’t know what he was feeling but _something_ felt off. 

His ears reddened and he heard a soft whispering that was aimless and recognizable. He wandered back into the bedroom and looked down at the holocron that sat on the table. He picked up the cube and his mind calmed for a moment. Somewhat nervous, Hux tucked the holocron into a drawer and jumped back in bed. 

The morning still proved to be stressful. He’d occasionally would hear a whisper or a noise that reminded him of a baby and he’d turn suddenly or his hair would rise. 

Throughout the third day on his trip, he found himself feeling cold and his bones were aching. He clenched his stomach a few times but tried his best to appear natural. He had chills and couldn’t get warm despite the heat of the planet. 

The day, despite his strange feelings, went by quickly and he was able to handle the last of the negotiations. At night, Hux had dinner with Himero. Himero sipped at his glittery golden juice. The Prince accidentally dropped his fork and Hux nearly jumped out of his pants. He couldn’t focus on his meal.

“Are you alright, General Hux? You seem antsy. You’re not ill, are you?” Himero asked gently, his voice welcoming like a siren’s song in his ears in comparison to the strange ringing and whispering he had been hearing. 

“No, no. I apologize, I don’t mean to seem like an antsy guest,” Hux said, shakily drinking at the golden drink that Ren had accused of lulling Hux out of his usual cautious self. 

Prince Himero pouted. “Dear Hux, you can tell me anything. Perhaps I can help your shaking nerves.”

He could see the web set out in front of him. His ears began to ring again with whispers and he ignored his worries and began to speak, hoping it would help force the voices away. 

“It’s nothing, really. I just feel lightheaded and out of place.” 

“Out of place? Am I unwelcoming?” 

“No, I didn’t mean it like that, Your Majesty. I just think I should be back on the Finalizer soon.”

Himero snapped his fingers and smiled. “Ah! I understand you miss your son! As much as that’s sweet, I think you deserve some relaxation, Hux. As you said, you believe Kylo Ren is a capable parent despite himself. It has calmed him, has it not?”

“Yes… I just…” Hux shut up, feeling weirdly empty all of a sudden. “I think I just need some rest.” 

“Be my guest,” Himero offered, his smile turning sly. Hux quirked an eyebrow at the prince and headed off. He felt rude for leaving, but couldn’t help but abandon the dinner. “General!” Hux looked over his shoulder. “Maybe try sleeping with your window open; the sea breeze is quite lovely and the starlight is supposed to be a guardian to us. It will guide you into a relaxing sleep perhaps. At least, to my culture.”

Hux froze. _Starlight_. Was it a coincidence? Hux didn’t want to think any longer so he merely nodded his head and went off swiftly, hearing Himero chug down his drink as he left the room. 

In his guest room, Hux sat on the edge of his bed slouched over, his hands balled up into fist over his mouth. He was peeking upwards at the holocron. He knew it was somehow talking to him, asking him for something, wanting him closer. 

He didn’t know how long he sat there, but the strange pull of the holocron was too much for him any longer. He didn’t know what the Force felt like but figured the strange object had some strange Force-like qualities to it that he couldn’t comprehend. 

Hux was in his socks and day outfit still, but his hair was disheveled and his cheeks were reddened from his stress. He snatched the holocron from the nightstand and went to the window, throwing open the curtains. The moon was large and full of light both soft and powerful. Hux opened the window to step onto the balcony.

The sea breeze pushed against him and then disappeared. Hux looked down and then out to the relaxed blue-green ocean of Quirinal. Hux looked to the cube in his hand, scowling at it. 

He hated the Force and all of Ren’s weird, secretive rituals and his powers and whatever cursed _gift_ this was supposed to be to his son. Hux pulled out his arm, meaning to throw the holocron as far as possible and hopefully have it be sucked into the ocean, but he found he was stopped before he could catapult the object. Someone held his wrist and he gasped, pulling away and spinning around. He leaned back against the stone fencing, instinctively going for his blaster he hid on his back but finding it wasn’t there.

“Easy, General Hux.” It was Himero, crown and all. Perplexed, Hux gave the prince a quizzical look. “I didn’t mean to impose, you just seemed odd at dinner and wanted to give you some teas but appears there is something more pressing. What is that you wish to throw?” 

Hux hid the holocron behind his back. The shadows the moon cast over Himero’s face and made his eyes glow mysteriously. He looked handsome, yet invoked worry in the General. He let out a soft chuckle as the sea breeze gentle whirled around them. 

“The moon is quite lovely tonight. As it sinks or rises into the ocean, it’s like the birth of a new day. The moon has magical properties, don’t you think?” Himero said in a sweet tone. 

“I don’t think it’s particularly magical, no.” 

“You aren’t from here. The moon is said to reveal your wishes and fantasies and will even grant them. Why do you think so many people have sex by the moonlight?” Himero explained. Hux flushed at Himero’s sudden vulgarity.

“I suppose?” Hux replied, his confusion rising again. 

“See it how I see it, Hux. Look at the moonlight,” Himero said, creeping close to Hux. Before Hux could defend himself, Himero gently put his hands to his shoulders and urged the General to spin around. He did so, feeling frozen. He felt like he wasn’t in his own body. “The moon is lovely and gives the most amazing properties to the coldest of lives.”

Hux wanted to open his mouth to say something but found he couldn’t; he was enchanted by the moonlight. Himero’s tone was somehow off, yet Hux couldn’t figure out what about the situation irked him the most. Himero ran his fingers down Hux’s arm and then pulled the holocron out of his hand. Hux gasped but didn’t try to snatch it back childishly. He watched Himero observe it, feeling the heat rise in his body despite the breeze. 

Himero weighed the object in his hand and rose an eyebrow. 

“Someone gave this to you?” Himero asked. Hux didn’t move. “You know, this probably contains a message from someone important. Tell me if this has been part of what’s bothering you.”

“Yes,” Hux said, but his voice felt strained and out of place. He had the urge to call Ren but the thought was squashed in his head. Ren shouldn’t be bothered with such trivial things while he was watching Ares. 

Himero smirked. “I can open this message. All it takes is a kyber crystal.” Himero pointed to the jewel in his crown. Hux didn’t realize he had been so close to a kyber crystal. Himero put his hand out. “Come, Hux.” 

Hux stared at the Prince’s hand. His heart felt airy and his mind felt light and malleable. For a second, he heard Ren’s voice in Himero’s.

Armitage took Himero’s hand and Himero led him back into the bedroom. 

They ended up sitting on the floor in front of the closed window. Himero removed his crystal from his crown and inserted it into a compartment he found on the side of the holocron. The closed the compartment and took Hux’s hand without asking, putting it on top of the holocron. 

The cube began to glow a bright blue, its light lightening up the room. Hux inhaled sharply, his body tingling with a strange energy. The light began to strobe softly and then after a few moments it still.

A voice came from the holocron.

“ _The Force has guided many on journeys of both fate and destiny, but this one is one of the truest visions. I have no doubts it will come true. I was told not to share this vision, but its light seems so hopeful and true, I hope it will only guide whoever finds this message to their destiny,_ ” a female voice spoke, filled with hope and honestly. Hux didn’t know who he was listening to but her words felt comforting and warm, so he stayed. 

She continued, “ _It took a lot of pieces to put together a picture but I see a future linked to the blood of Skywalkers. Two rulers of a galaxy just, ordered, and brimming with optimism. Two children cut from opposite cords of each parent will lead the galaxy into a new era, though my mind is muddled in some of the details. The era feels… warm yet strange. It will take much to get there, I figure, but I know at least there will be a family to balance the Force and a pair whose bloodline gives them the power to finally unite the galaxy. I cannot be certain all good will come out of what I feel, but I know that Anakin’s blood has something special in it. I only hope the generations after him will do what he could not. A tale of two will cycle through until the Force is pleased, or until the bloodline sinks. There are beautiful children for our future, raised in glory and by a powerful hand. Children is all we have for the future. The two are the balance.”_

The holocron’s blue light vanished shortly after the message ended. Hux didn’t realize, but he was crying. He didn’t even know why he shed a tear at such a vague message, yet because it was a message for Ares he couldn’t help but feel like he was doing something right. Himero removed his crystal from the holocron and put it back in his crown. He took off his jacket and placed it on the floor. 

“It seems almost like a riddle,” Himero said. 

“I don’t think that’s quite the word for it,” Hux said, clearing his throat. “I don’t know what to do with such a message. It was for Ares, yet it hardly mentions him.” 

“The message was made before his birth, before Kylo Ren’s even. Perhaps during the time of the Old Republic. A tale of two though… I wonder what that refers to,” Himero said, though his tone didn’t suggest his wonder. The prince’s eyes flashed. “I think I have a solution to your riddle.” 

“Do you now?” Hux asked, suspicious yet vulnerable. 

“Well, maybe a temporary solution.” Himero got up and offered Hux his hand again. Hux went to grab the man’s wrist but Himero pulled him up forcefully and pulled Hux close against him. Hux leaned back but found that Himero had one hand on his waist and the other on his wrist. Hux cringed. “The riddle does speak of a tale of two. Just stay with me right now.” 

“I— I don’t think that’s what it means, Your Majesty.” Hux tried to lean further back, his mind running wild, but Himero dipped him, his nose close to Hux’s. The General’s face turned red and he somehow felt trapped. He wanted to leave yet felt like he _couldn’t;_ there was nowhere to go. 

The heat of Himero’s body and the cool touch of his hand was inviting. He had been trapped taking care of his ships and taking care of his son that he hadn’t had time to connect to many people; Even Ren, who would use him for pleasure, felt distant from his touch. Himero was right in front of him, singing a siren’s song that was soundless. 

“I think you know what it means, and I can offer it to you. No strings attached. It’s the future of the galaxy, Hux. Even you can solve the riddle so easily,” Himero coaxed. Hux’s ears turned red. He was frozen in time, drawn to Himero’s deadly eyes yet wishing to escape. He felt motionless, helpless, and desperate, caught in a hungry spider’s web. “You are hardly attached. Tell me what you desire, or don’t, because I see it in your eyes. Coming here has opened your heart to a vulnerability you wished to push away. But it’s an instinct so feral and wild that you didn’t think you had it. The holocron only confirms what you should do. Not for me, but for you.”

“I don’t think Kylo Ren would approve of this.” It was Hux’s desperate last playing card for the game Himero had trapped him in. His body felt heavy and hot and he wanted to turn away. He almost wished that he wore Ren’s bracelet. Hux didn’t feel necessarily threatened by Himero, but he felt like he needed Ren with him. He didn’t want to ask for help or to act like there was something bigger and stronger than him to protect him, but Himero had always been wary of Ren. Most people were. The prince’s eyes flashed.

“What can you rely on that man? Truly? Can you trust him when he’s not around your child? Ares was the only thing to bring you two together yet you still feel pulled apart. Is that what you fantasize about, Kylo Ren?” Himero asked. Sweat rolled down the back of Hux’s neck as Himero gripped him tighter. “I don’t think you’ve won that meager Force user over. At least, not yet.”

He was right. Hux and Ren technically were fighting and ruining one another slowly. Ares was the only thing that kept them together peacefully. Hux admitted _loved_ that peace; he felt in control of himself and felt like Ren wasn’t a useless, hopeless person. Ren and Ares were beckoning him now, even from afar, but Ren was changed. He may have loved his son, but Hux knew he was still an afterthought to Ren. It hurt him; it hurt to still be considered so lowly when they were intertwined. 

Himero smiled strangely and his eyes flickered with something enticing. Hux wanted to hold his own against the prince, yet felt himself melting away. Hux knew he was scared, but the feeling wouldn’t stick.

“Be still love, I know what you need,” Himero purred. 

Hux’s eyes looked to the starlight, “Ren—” he whimpered and Himero made a shushing noise. 

“I’ll give you what you want from Ren.”

Hux succumbed to Himero’s beguiling words. It wouldn’t hurt, Hux thought, and it would be better in the end. He didn’t think of the day after tomorrow or his superweapon that would burn through planets. No, he thought of nothing.

He didn’t want to think. He was afraid of what he’d feel after.

Hux didn’t hear the comlink beep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> leave a comment i love them so much!
> 
> yeah i know it's suss but hux is fine he's just out of sort. and yeah himero has like an important plot but like for now hes a sketchball with a ginger kink. ren really is gonna pop off.


	23. Starlight Falls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh yeah the boys r back together being romantically oppressed as always. god i swear there's a point to every word i have a PLAN
> 
> also sw is up in flames rn and it's amusing and i want to put my head into a wall. sometimes it amused me how stupid kylux is in reality yet we just stay in our lane and r like "yeah we out here being trash" someone edit a hux fan cam so i can use it as every twitter reaction. btw classes r startin up again so i may update slower im sorry 
> 
> leave a comment and a kudos!
> 
> cw: light violence/fighting but u know its kylo so,

By the next day, Ren nearly hopped on a shuttle to Quirinal to retrieve Hux, but then he was conveniently told that Hux was arriving. He felt his cheeks redden, feeling ridiculous for wanting to go ‘rescue’ the General when he shouldn't have to be bothered by such as obnoxious, impudent man. He nearly punched a hole through a command desk when he heard Hux was returning. 

 _How dare the General not pick up his comlink then return?_ Ren thought, gritting his teeth. Ren had even turned on the NAN-E droid he despised so much so he could go fetch Hux. 

When Hux’s shuttle landed, Ren stomped over to the docking bay with his usual heavy cadence that everyone recognized and feared. On his way, he ran into Captain Phasma. She had her usual chrome glow and strong-bodied armor. He respected her fearless, rigid stance but didn't want to be bothered by pleasantries.

“Sir,” she saluted. He groaned through his mask.

“Captain,” he replied stoically. 

“General Hux is landing—”

“I’m aware, Captain,” he said crudely over her. He didn’t have qualms with Captain Phasma, he was just irritated. “Follow me.”

She did so without question. He knew to some extent, she cared about Hux’s well being and respected him. He had his suspicions that she was one of Hux's dirty little pawns who’d take out his enemies quickly and efficiently. Hux had a cruel streak in him and was capable of taking people out himself, but Ren knew Hux didn’t like to have the blood on his wrinkled gloves. 

Ren didn’t mind having blood on his hands, in a way he liked having the power over someone’s life. Being a Knight of Ren meant not worrying about consequences or empathy. If they burned things the ground, a knight of Ren didn’t worry about it what they did was right or wrong. They lived to consume power, to thrive, and to conquer. They drowned themselves in the dark side and searched for what its shadows could do. 

Ren remembered the original Master of the Knights of Ren. The man was devoted to Ren, and also was known as Ren, but Vader’s blood was more valuable than his devotion. Kylo dethroned him, took his title, and took his way of life. Not to say Ren didn’t respect the old Master of the Knights, in fact Kylo used to have quite an affinity for the man and found him particularly admirable and handsome, but the shadows of the Force touched him and wanted him more. He was used to being called Ren, though technically it was his title, but he sometimes he’d think back to the strange, muscular old Master of the Knights who spoke about the dark side in a way that was fleeting from his memory. 

Over time, some Knights of Ren were replaced while some stayed and respected Kylo’s orders. Arla was the youngest and newest, but her blood ran deep in the Force and she knew her place among the knights. Gyro Ren was also a newer Knight of Ren, though many years have passed since then, and he too was dedicated to Kylo’s words. The others were true to him, but it always has stuck to Kylo how they knew another Master before them. He felt more akin to his Knights of Ren than to the family he used to have, the one who demanded him be “Ben Solo.”

He thought of his relationship with his knights as comparable to Hux’s relationship with Phasma: they were friendly but knew that they were ranked above the others and had to keep them in line and make sure they weren’t too comfortable.

Phasma and Ren watched as Hux exited the shuttle, his two personal stormtroopers behind him. At first glance, he seemed his usual stern, hateful self, ready to get back to work. No one else would notice it, but Ren did. Something was off about Hux. His eyes seemed duller and with a swift peek into his mind, Ren found that the usual activity going on in Hux’s mind was somehow lulled and solemn. Ren clenched his fist at his side. He didn’t know if it was relaxation or if Hux was hiding something. 

General Hux strode over to the two of them. “Captain, Lord Ren.” 

“Welcome back General Hux, should I debrief you?” Captain Phasma offered. 

“I’ll do it,” Ren insisted. He knew that under her helmet Phasma was giving him a quizzical look. “Supreme Leader Snoke wants to speak with us. I’ll update you on the way there and whatever I don’t say I’m sure Captain Phasma will tell it to you later.”

Ren thought Hux would’ve rolled his eyes or sneered at Ren’s pestering, but the General nodded his head plainly, lacking his usual strong opinions. 

“If you want to, Lord Ren. Captain, I’ll catch up with you later. I want to discuss Starkiller Base with you,” Hux said, nodded Phasma off and turning on his heel to walk off with Ren.

Hux knew they were heading back to his chambers first to check on Ares. Hux was riddled with anxiety because he desired to see his son. Ren noticed how Hux squirmed within his own boots even as he walked, though his face remained passive. 

The two reached Hux’s chambers and if Hux could throw open the door, he would. He entered first. Ares sat up from the couch, staring at the red-headed man that entered to swiftly. Ares squealed happily and Hux went over and scooped Ares off the couch and hugged him close, cupping the back of his head. Ares babbled gleefully as if to recount what he did the last few days. 

Ren ordered the NAN-E droid to tuck itself away. Hux shamelessly kissed the side of his son’s head. Ren thought the General was being a bit dramatic. Ares chanted “ya-ya-ya” in Hux’s arms. 

“It was only three days, Hux,” Ren said. Hux groaned at him. 

“Well, you clearly haven’t been here long enough to know what it’s like to miss your child,” Hux said. Ren rose an eyebrow, surprised at both Hux’s sass and his sudden openness about his affections. Sure, Ren knew Hux loved Ares in his way, but Hux never said it so clearly. 

“Excuse me?” 

“Am I wrong? No.” Before Ren could get a furious word in, Hux continued. “How was he?”

“Fine. He’s been crying a lot.” Hux gave Ren a sour look and looked back into his son’s doleful eyes. Ren, recalling why he had been angry previous, raised his tone. “I tried to contact you yesterday but you didn’t pick up. What happened?”

Hux was quiet for a moment. He didn’t remove his eyes from Ares. “Happened? Nothing. Perhaps I didn’t hear it. When did you contact me? I would’ve picked up if you had concerns about Ares.”

“I called you during the night. It would’ve been last night when you were on Quirinal. And I didn’t call about Ares.”

“Then why were you trying to contact me?”

“Because the holocron Arla Ren gave us was missing,” Ren said without thinking. Hux turned to him sharply, his eyes wide. 

“Missing? Were you looking through my stuff Ren?” Hux asked in a sharp tone. Ares put his hand on Hux’s cheek and Hux looked back to his son, giving him all the attention he wanted.

Ren still thought Hux was acting odd. He wanted to dip into the General’s mind and see what was going on but knew he’d been risking his relationship with Ares in the process. 

“Where’s the holocron? I knew you took it,” Ren insisted. Ares gave him an odd look as if to be disappointed in Ren’s tone. 

“Took it? I didn’t take anything and besides, it belongs to me.”

Ren got close to Hux’s face, Hux’s nose almost brushing up against Ren’s mask. Hux could see Ren’s furious eyes through his mask, wild, wide, and a deep brown. Hux held his breath for a second and Ren watched as Hux’s eyes turned pale and ghostly like a parasite that sucked away the life from his usual lively eyes. It was like watching vampires drink the life out of him. 

Infuriated, Ren put his hand over Hux’s face, using the Force to search for his lie. Chivalry be damned. Hux let out an unsteady gasp and his body tensed up, but Ares was still safe in his arms. Unsure of what was going on, Ares babbled helplessly, wondering why his father was so still. 

Ren searched through Hux’s mind carefully, more careful than he ever had before because he didn’t want to risk Hux seizing and dropping Ares. When Ren looked into the events of last night he found… nothing.

The General’s mind was completely blank, devoid of memory like someone had plucked it from him or, alternatively, someone had locked the memory away to where he couldn’t find it. He could find a memory of Hux returning to his guest room for the night then waking up in the morning, but there were many strange gaps in the General’s memory. 

Baffled, Ren removed himself from Hux’s head. The General let out a relieved sigh and held his head for a second before glaring at Ren and baring his teeth.

“How dare you!” He shouted.

“I was looking for your lie but appears there are gaps in your memory. I’d ask you what happened but you honestly wouldn’t know,” Ren said. Hux huffed indignantly as if he wasn’t concerned about the gaps in his memory. He acted as if Ren was speaking nonsense. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Ren! You are obsessed with me to a completely inappropriate extent! I don’t care if we have this child, mind your business and stay in your lane!” Hux criticized, his face turning red. He began to feel lightheaded so he took a deep breath and sat down slowly before he would overexert himself.

Ren wanted to be mad, but he couldn’t help but feel more intrigued by the fact Hux was unaware of his own memory loss. Perhaps by the way the memories were woven together nothing felt out of place, but Ren knew something had happened on Quirinal. He didn’t know if Hux was repressing it or if it had been taken from him, but something was wrong. 

Ren leaned close to General Hux and put a thumb against his chin, pulling lightly at his bottom lip. Hux narrowed his eyes at Ren but stayed in place. “Obsession isn’t the word for it. And do be careful how you talk to me, Hux. You don’t know what you are dealing with.” 

“And neither do you,” Hux said sharply, shaking off Ren’s grip on his face. Ares seemed to want to copy Ren and reached up to Hux’s face, grabbing at his mouth. Ares babbled nonsensically and Hux sighed, moving his face away. “Power up the NAN-E droid, we must talk with the Supreme Leader. I must also discuss with Captain Phasma about putting her on Starkiller Base when the time comes.”

“Very well, General.” 

They had to basically pry Ares off of Hux, the baby wouldn’t stop crying when Hux tried to put him down to leave. Ren grew agitated, wondering if it would just be easier to use the Force to lull Ares to sleep. Hux turned his back to Ren, rubbing Ares back to make him fall asleep naturally. It took some time until Ares fell asleep and they could leave, more time than they knew was acceptable.

They strode over to the holochamber together side by side. Hux walked with his back straight and his hands professionally held behind his back. Ren walked with heavy stomps and clenched fist, making everyone aware of his dark capabilities. Together, they created an image of mercilessness, like poster boys for the First Order. As they walked by, troopers and officers saluted them or moved out of their way, taking notice of how the two looked together. 

Snoke’s projection was already waiting for them in the holochamber for them. The two looked up to the Supreme Leader, still together. The Supreme Leader’s mangled face was twisted and his browns were pressed into a hard frown. Ren didn’t realize he was holding his breath for a second. 

“General Hux,” Snoke said in his slow, booming voice, “welcome back. I have seen that your mission on Quirinal was successful again. Very impressive. King Vespasian is not an easily moved man. I didn’t want to use fire and fury on such a useful planet.” 

“I agree, Supreme Leader. Quirinal is proved to be too resourceful to attack, for now. We have an established port there now, though Prince Himero suspects that associates of the Resistance have been lurking around.”

“I personally find the planet’s ruling class detestable,” Ren said offhandedly. Hux’s face twisted and he rolled his eyes. 

“Good thing we aren’t here for your opinion, Ren,” Hux muttered to himself but loud enough for Ren to hear. He grit his teeth behind his mask.

Snoke let out a cold laugh. “Get your resentment out of the way now. Enough of your childish quibbling.” The two shut up but there was still a tense atmosphere. “General Hux, besides your useful victory, I hear that you’ve won more than you bargained for.” 

Hux paused and furrowed his brow. “I don’t believe I understand Supreme Leader.” 

“Ah, right. Then I’ll be the first to tell you that Prince Himero Dolos offered you his hand in marriage. It will be a political marriage, of course, but it’s quite an interesting offer.” 

Ren physically felt all the veins in his body bulge in fury. His head sharply turned to face Hux. The General looked as white as a sheet, his lips parted stupidly in disbelief. 

It took all of Ren’s self-control to not suffocate Hux or crush every bit of metal surrounding him. He wanted to stick his lightsaber through the floor and cut until could jump to the next level down. He knew Prince Himero was some sleazeball waiting to scoop Hux up when nobody was looking. 

Ren didn’t know why he cared or why he was surprised.  

“I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that Prince Himero wanted a marriage. I was on that planet for three days and he didn’t seem interested in that kind of alliance. I’m not really sure how to respond to that at the moment,” Hux said as clearly as he could. The color was returning to Hux’s face, but it was going to his cheeks in a way that was embarrassing. Snoke’s cold eyes turned to his apprentice.

“I sense unease.” Ren teased up. Hux’s eyes looked to Ren but he kept his head straight. Ren’s helmet surely helped hide his expression. Snoke scratched his chin. “You have concerns?”

“I don’t see the need for a political marriage if we already got everything we out of that planet. Seems more like Prince Himero is asking for more from us than we are from him,” Ren said, trying to sound as objective as possible. It was an honest answer, but he was worried that his Master would take his response as admittance to his connection to the General. 

“And what do you think of this, General Hux?” Snoke asked. Hux looked back to the Supreme Leader, considering his answer carefully. He knew Snoke was testing them to some extent. 

“I do believe my co-commander is correct. A political marriage doesn’t seem beneficial, and I don’t think the timing is quite… right given the situation at hand,” Hux articulated clearly. Ren caught when Hux stuttered, knowing Hux was fretting over Ares again. He was glad that Hux wasn’t going to marry that disrespectful prince, but he somehow knew Hux’s rejection would be used against them both. 

“I see.” Snoke paused as if to purposely suspend them. “I suppose you both are correct, and surprisingly agreeing with one another. I will tell Prince Himero that our General is not quite ready and to come back when he has more to offer. I’ll keep this proposal in my back pocket though, just in case.” Hux shifted his jaw. “General Hux, I believe you have other things to attend to. You are dismissed.”

“Yes Supreme Leader,” Hux said, turning on his heel and heading out. Ren noticed how Hux was pulling on his cuff anxiously as he left.

Supreme Leader Snoke and Kylo Ren stayed silent for a moment, observing one another. Snoke hummed, narrowing his eyes slightly. Ren stood tall and made himself look bigger, trying to demonstrate he was still uncompromised. 

“You’ve been on this ship for a while. I expect you to go back to your hunt of Skywalker and his conspirators soon. Your training is incomplete,” Snoke told Ren.

“Yes Supreme Leader. I apologize for my injuries. It did give me ample time to observe my son though.”

“Your son,” Snoke echoed in a dark, judging tone. Ren tensed, wondering if his wording gave him away or caused Snoke to find Ren weak. He couldn’t help calling Ares his son, it was the truth. “Any discoveries to make note of?” 

Ren knew he couldn’t lie. “Ares seems to want to try to use the Force but isn’t always successful. He has moved an object with the Force but besides that, he hasn’t moved anything else.” 

“He is still young, that’s expected that he wouldn’t have many abilities yet. Infants cannot be on the dark or light side because they don’t understand morality or choice. Anything else?”

“...yes actually. It’s about General Hux.”

“Here to tattle on him again?” Snoke said, almost annoyed. 

“No, Master. The General has been acting strangely but beyond his own consciousness. Part of it has to do with Ares, I believe they have a force connection but I don’t know if it is just because they are related,” Ren explained. 

“I see. Time will only tell with that. Not many force nulls are connected to force sensitives, although it might not be a connection and maybe more of a child’s version of a mind trick. I see that something else troubles you, my boy.”

“Yes. But I’m not sure what to make of it.” Snoke cocked his ugly eyebrow, or what was left of it. “Arla Ren had gave us holocrons as gifts but I found one of them was missing last night. When General Hux returned I tried to ask him about the location but he was oblivious and there were gaps in his memory. I don’t think the General actually knows what happened, but it happened on Quirinal. Prince Himero’s timing with the proposal is… peculiar. That wretched prince his hiding something. The holocron may be on the planet Quirinal, but I’m not sure.” 

“Hmm… a missing holocron and our General missing pieces of his memory? Peculiar indeed, my apprentice,” Snoke said in a deeper tone, tapping his nails against his throne. “I don’t find Quirinal to be threatening but do meditate on this. I’ll send one of your knights to Quirinal to spy around, make sure that everything is in order and see if the missing holocron is there. If Arla Ren spent so much of her time on retrieving a gift, it must be cherished. If it is for the child Ares, we must not let anyone else see what’s inside.”

“Yes Master. Should I send Arla Ren? She’s my chosen spy,” Ren offered but Snoke raised his hand slowly, signaling Ren to stop thinking for himself.

“No. She needs to train and has her own journey. I will send Nykita Ren. She is the master of the hunt. She will also rid of any resistance spies lurking on Quirinal, now that we have a port there. Do not command the knights right now, you all individually have your own task to complete,” Snoke explained to him. While Ren understood his Master’s purpose, he didn’t like the idea of all the knights being separated. They were all used to it, but Ren felt like he needed them nearby. 

“Yes Master.”

“Focus on finding Skywalker. We must crush the Jedi, or I fear your son’s fate may not be safe.”

Ren looked up sharply. “Ares? You sense he’s in danger?”

Snoke nodded slowly. “It’s obvious to me if the Jedi find him, they’ll tear him apart. It should be clear to you too. Let the General continue raising him and resume your search and meditation. Starkiller Base will soon be complete and ready to fire and the galaxy will know the power of the First Order and of the dark side. The New Republic must fall in order for you to rise with your son.”

“I worry about him,” Ren admitted, knowing he’d be worse off lying to his Master.

“Oh?”

“I worry that I’m not there enough to influence him.”

Snoke chuckled. “Don’t fret, my boy. All will turn out as it should be as long as you follow the path of the dark side. Even when you aren’t there, your child will know your power. Continue on your journey to Skywalker, on your previous path. Vision Ren will send you imperative information he received. He killed a great many for this key to finding Skywalker. You are dismissed.”

The hologram vanished and Ren was alone. He wanted to go back to Hux’s chambers to see Ares but realized his next course was to leave to follow the leads he was given. He swallowed hard and patted the lightsaber at his side.

“For Ares, for Ares,” he repeated as he left the holochamber. He had a purpose beyond finding Skywalker, which made him feel good, yet he still felt solemn at the fact he had to leave once again.

He knew it would be worth it once he ended the Jedi and the Resistance. Ares would grow up peacefully. Perhaps even Snoke wasn’t going to take him away permanently either. If he succeeded, he could protect what he built. If he kept going and pushed forward and rid of the roaches of the galaxy, he’d know his true purpose. 

He didn’t turn towards Hux’s chambers, but Hux had waited for a considerable amount of time in his chambers in hope that Ren would come back. He didn’t _need_ Ren, not in the least bit, but he thought it would’ve been considerate for Ren to continue to bond with Ares. He doubted Ares would trust or obey Ren in the future if they didn’t establish a stable foundation right now. Unaware of what his co-commander was doing, he pressed forward and let the NAN-E droid care for Ares so he could return to his work. 

Despite his busy day and strict face, he thought a lot about what Ren had said about his memory. Parts were missing, according to Ren, yet he didn’t feel like anything was missing at all. He shook off Ren’s words and the strange proposal from Prince Himero Dolos and continued on without telling anyone. 

Nobody knew about his private life. Even the parts he gave to Mitaka, Phasma, and Ren were scattered and incomplete. He wasn’t going to unnecessarily tell anyone about the proposal or his sexuality if he had to (though he suspected at this point Mitaka and Phasma knew. It wasn’t difficult for them to figure it out). 

He had talked to Captain Phasma about putting her on Starkiller Base when it was complete and she didn’t reject his offer, though she was still curious about his intentions. He knew she could help him if he told her, but he didn’t want to pester her with his personal issues. She was much too valuable to keep distracted. She helped him take down his father and other old Imperial bastards; she wasn’t the sentimental type to want to take care of a baby. Ignorance truly was bliss in his case; the fewer people knew the safer he’d be.

The _Finalizer_ continued to run smoothly and his officers were diligently at work. Lieutenant Mitaka and Hux shared some knowing looks to one another, speaking with their eyes. When the work was done, Hux decided to go to the gym to cool off and spend some time to himself, trusting that the droid would take good care of Ares.

Changed and with his gym bag in hand, Hux noticed how empty the area was and immediately took notice of Ren sitting crossed legged in the middle of the floor. He was in black pants and a black tank top. His eyes shut and his black locks were floating gently. Several items in the room were floating off the ground, turning or wobbling unsteadily. Ren’s face twitched when Hux entered but he didn’t say anything or open his eyes.

Feeling cheeky, Hux threw his bag down and stayed a safe distance away from Ren, but close enough where Ren would feel his presence. Hux rolled out a mat for himself and began to stretch on it, feeling his joints crack and his muscles grow relieved from the stress.

He sighed through his nostrils and, again, noticed how Ren wavered in his focus. Some of the floating items nearly touched the ground but Ren swallowed and continued to meditate. Hux got into a dolphin pose with his feet on the ground and his arms out in front of him so his ass was pointed upward in the air and his head was looking at his feet. 

The items floating suddenly dropped to the ground with a loud clatter, making Hux nearly lose his footing from surprise.

“Can I help you, General?” Ren asked through his teeth.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you owned this entire space. My apologies, Lord Ren,” Hux said sarcastically, moving out of his stretch to move into another one. Hux moves into his shoulder stand with his back on the ground and lifting his legs together straight in the air, balancing himself. He was a little out of practice; he hadn’t had a real workout since Ares was born. Whatever time used to be leftover was given to his son.

“Would you mind stopping the _lewd_ noises you’re making?” Ren asked, seemingly shaken up. 

“Lewd? Do you not make noises when you’re exercising? This isn’t exactly an easy position,” Hux said, somewhat breathlessly from trying to stay still in the air. His abs clenched painfully in his position. 

“Now I understand why you’re so flexible,” Ren muttered. Hux rolled out of his position and glared over at Ren. He saw how Ren was eyeing his tight, workout clothes and squirmed. 

“I thought you left already.”

“Why would you think that?” Ren asked, getting up to his feet. He was wearing an all-black outfit like Hux, but his pants didn’t hug as tightly around him than it did to Hux. 

“You didn’t go see Ares. I went back before my shift to see if you were watching him.”

“No, I’ve been here,” Ren said firmly, avoiding Hux’s eyes. “I have to leave soon to continue my mission. I just wanted to meditate first.” 

“Leaving again?” Hux questioned, his tone suggesting his internal seething underneath. Ren cleared his throat and began wrapping his fist in bandages. When Ren wouldn’t answer his question, he asked another one. “Are you practicing dueling?”

He didn’t know why Hux was pestering him so much. “Yes. The road ahead will be paved in battles and I need to be prepared. My hands can’t be soft like yours,” Ren said. It was a bit of a backward insult since Hux knew that Ren actually knew what his hands felt like across his body. Hux jumped up and walked up to Ren, earning a raised eyebrow from the Knight.

“Spare with me.”

“You’re joking, right?”

Hux’s face remained stern and he clenched his fist. “No. I’m not. It’s good practice.”

Ren scoffed. “Practice? I’ll destroy you and you’ll hardly get anything out of it. I rather not ruin my General, he needs to be ready to mommy his baby when I’m gone—”

Hux punched Ren in the jaw, stopping Ren’s sentence. Ren touched his cheek and side-eyed the General, surprised. Hux scrunched his nose and was bouncing on his feet, ready to fight. Hux contained his smirk. 

“Don’t undermine me. And don’t call me a mom, you pathetic Republic scum,” Hux spat, cracking his neck. “Don’t use the Force either.” 

“I don’t think I said I agreed to your petty fight,” Ren said, rolling his jaw. “I could crush you.”

“Then do it with your hands, not with the Force you barbaric fool.” 

He didn’t know why Hux was baiting him but he couldn’t help but lash out at the General. He swung heavily at Hux but Hux ducked and deflected the swing, pushing Ren’s arm upwards and hitting the bigger man in the chest. Ren quickly learned while Hux wasn’t particularly strong, but he was quick and limber and knowing of the weak points in a humanoid’s body. 

They threw fists and bared their teeth and snarled like wild animals as they fought. There was no real point to the blood they were shedding, but it felt good; it felt as though Ren was releasing the fury of something feral inside him and he suspected Hux was doing the same. As he aimed for Hux’s weak spots he recalled every irritating thing the General had done to him: the nagging, the prideful slight jabs at Ren’s intelligence, every _time_ Hux dared to say he was an unfit parent and an unworthy apprentice to his Master…

Hux jabbed him particularly hard in the stomach and Ren felt his eyes bulge. 

Ren grunted and began to grow frustrated over how he couldn’t completely control Hux in this fight. He didn’t even know why they were fighting but it felt right; he wanted to kick the shit out of Hux or prove to the weaseling General that he was a force not to be reckoned with. Ren grabbed Hux by the shoulders and kneed him, hearing a painful gasp that alarmed the Knight. He almost felt bad for a moment, knowing that his one brute hit could do more to Hux’s bones than several of Hux’s own attacks, but Hux used Ren’s brief moment of hesitation to kick Ren in the face with his flexible legs. Ren stumbled back once more and Hux kicked his feet out from under him.

On a usual day, yes, Ren would beat Hux easily but he found himself somehow distracted. He not only wanted to see what Hux was capable of, but he also couldn’t keep his eyes off the General’s form. His slim form and flexible body kept Ren from keeping focus. He was too curious about how Hux could bend and how his pale fist turned red from irritation. 

Ren grabbed Hux’s ankle and threw the General onto the floor. He got on top of Hux and held down his arms and sat on his waist. The General struggled and tried kicking his legs to remove the heavy weight off of him but it was of no avail— Ren bested him in physical strength easily. Ren was done fighting. He needed to make the wild animal under him submit.

Hux wasn’t usually so messy on his fighting. He could fire his own blasters and choose who lived and died, but at the expense of someone else doing it for him. Ren highly suspected Hux of murdering the former Commander Brendol Hux— his own father— but there was no proof. Ren didn’t care, he had his own whispering in his mind to kill Han Solo to remove himself from any weaknesses, but he always wanted to hang the information he had on Hux over his head. He wondered if Hux could, would he place a bounty on Ren’s head or find satisfaction in doing it himself? 

Hux continued to squirm, but Ren tightened his grip on Hux’s wrists. The General had a bloody nose from their fighting. Ren looked at Hux’s pale neck. 

“Unhand me!” Hux demanded, panting.

“You bit off more than you can chew. Even without my powers, I’ve bested you. Now tell me the purpose of your pathetic attempt at trying to spar with me?” Ren said darkly, shifting his weight around. Hux's head flopped uselessly to the side and he stopped his wiggling. 

“What, shouldn’t it be a good thing I try to learn how to best a Force user? I believe it will be useful,” Hux said half-heartedly. 

“Not me. You won’t beat me, but a good excuse nonetheless.” Ren smirked at him. He should’ve been pissed Hux managed to hit him so many times but to see the skinny General under him with no means of escape was euphoric. 

Ren stared at the General’s body, watching how his chest rose and fell and how sweat rolled off the side of his arm. He looked down slyly at Hux’s tight pants and how his shirt was slightly raised so Ren could see some soft skin. Ren put both of Hux’s wrist into one of his hands to continue to pin him down but used a free hand to slip his hand under Hux’s black shirt and ride it up further. He could feel how Hux inhaled sharply. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Hux asked through gritted teeth. 

“Claiming my prize,” Ren purred, leaning closer to Hux’s face. Hux scowled and turned his nose away from Ren’s close lips.

“Get. Off,” Hux articulated more harshly, shivering. Ren noticed how Hux’s eyes seemed red and he let out a sigh and released Hux from his grip, getting off the General and sitting on the floor.

Hux rubbed his wrist and sat up, avoiding looking at Ren. He looked fragile despite his previous fearsome, violent fighting. Ren couldn’t figure out why the General was so troubled. It was rather unbecoming of a General to have fluctuations in his emotions (but Ren didn’t sense his own hypocrisy). 

“Didn’t mean to upset you, General,” Ren said, watching Hux shiver uncomfortably in his own skin.

“You do that a lot.” 

Ren shifted his jaw. “You aren’t always so pleasant either.”

“I’m not pleasant? I don’t need to get along with you but at least I can handle the tasks in front of me. All you do is leave your son behind and cause this ship trouble,” Hux argued, getting up off the ground. He cracked his wrist and glared at Ren. The Knight eyed Hux up and down; His pants still felt a bit too snug. 

“You can handle the tasks in front of you? You’re delusional, you passed out from stims and overworking!” Ren shouted before he could catch himself. Hux let out a little gasp, his face flushing. 

“You! You looked at my personal information! That’s not for you to know!” Hux widened his stance, as if he could look bigger than Ren in any capacity without his padded clothes. 

Ren jutted a finger near Hux’s face. “It is for me to know! If you are watching my son you should not be disoriented! Why is it so appalling for me to want my General to not be passed out?”

“Because I wouldn’t have to be so overworked if you would stop leaving me behind with _your_ son!” 

The truth was a strange thing. Hux was right, he was leaving his son which meant Hux had to give all the humanely attention, yet Ren felt like there was somehow a lie woven into Hux’s venomous words. Hate bubbled into him, yet his lust was still festering at the surface. He didn’t know if he wanted to seduce the General into complacency or beat him into it, and Ren knew both were dangerous thoughts. One real misstep and he knew Hux would force Ares out of his life for good. 

“If you have the balls to take this up with the Supreme Leader, then so be it! I leave to protect our son from the galaxy!”

“Perhaps you’re right and you must go, but that does not mean you are righteous in what you are doing. Tell me about your worth _after_ you find those Jedi nuisances!” Hux suddenly stopped yelling and froze up. Ren hadn’t done anything to Hux with the Force so he quirked an eyebrow. Hux trembled suddenly. “Why do you have an _erection_ while we are arguing?!” 

Ren looked down at his pants. _Shit_. Ample timing. Now he really wanted to throw anything fist at Hux but didn’t know how strange it would be for them to fight again while Ren was hard. 

“I can’t control that!” 

“So much for me being lewd! I can’t believe you!” Hux threw his hands up. 

“You’re wearing that outfit and—” Hux suddenly strode up to Ren and grabbed him by the balls. Ren’s eye twitched and he swallowed hard. Hux was close to his face, glaring straight into his eyes. 

“Talk about me being lewd again, I _dare_ you, Ren,” Hux said in a low voice. Hux managed to make Ren feel threatened. “We can talk more after you garner successes for the First Order.” Hux’s hand slid up the bump in Ren’s pants. “Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?”

“...I’m getting mixed messages,” Ren admitted. Hux removed his hands from Ren but stayed close. 

“My message for you is to conquer this galaxy for my son and for the Order. Perhaps then we can discuss whatever strange _mess_ is going on in your mind about me.” Hux stepped away and headed off, picking up his gym bag and leaving Ren to ponder. 

He could only conclude that Hux _knew_ Ren had some festering feelings for him, whatever they may be, but it still didn’t make sense. Hux knew Snoke didn’t agree with their _togetherness_ and preferred them to be rivals, so why would there even be a discussion about their relationship? He didn’t understand. 

It wasn’t his place to understand quite yet. Their places were different for now. Hux had his army, Starkiller, and his precious Stormtrooper program. Ren had his knights, his hunt for Skywalker, and his connection to the dark side. The only real thing they bonded them together was a son born from fate or some weird coincidence. 

Ren had to leave the _Finalizer_ and tried to return for Ares when he could, but even with the thoughts of his on in his mind, there was only so much that could be done. The Force was changing right under Ren's nose and destiny sometimes was a terrible thing that he had to deal with. Unfortunately for Hux, once he got involved with someone with Skywalker blood, destiny seemed to follow after him too and force him into her web. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapters are getting into TFA and TLJ so it will be some recapping on those two WITH commentary and u know, baby Ares. I realized I needed to look up the scripts to write the next chapters because i deadass refuse to watch TLJ again and don't have the willpower to go through any clips.
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)  
> Follow me on Twitter and watch me get into drama [@truemoongoddess](https://twitter.com/truemoongoddess)
> 
> this is a john boyega and finn stan area ok. king spoke the truth. also rey and finn and other canon characters obviously will be in this fic and its other parts because i love them but also because they got PLOT and I will try to do them justice.


	24. An Awakening in the Force

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we are getting into the events of The Force Awakens. Basically there's a lot of the events in this chapter, but with more of a character study and obviously integration of Ares into the plot. This chapter is extra long (oops) cause of the movie plot but we gotta get through the movies for this fic smh.
> 
> cw: mentions of violence (though that's like every chapter. i mean it's star wars), brief sickness, mentions of torture, basically it's the plot of TFA with baby.
> 
> also we now are vaguely introduced to Finn, Rey, and Poe hurray! we love our light side ANGELS.

Leaving wasn't easy, but returning was far harder when it had to be business-only. The long journey in search of Skywalker and the construction of Starkiller base led Ren and Hux into Ares’ second year of life and separated from one another. The two men rarely interacted unless they had to which created a tense atmosphere around them wherever they went. Ren had sometimes visited Ares in the dead of the gamma shift, whispering over the toddler’s crib as Hux laid unaware in a deep, troubling sleep. 

Hux and Ren never did talk about their issues with one another. They got too wrapped up in their work to remember or care. Eventually, Hux had finished his Starkiller Base while Ren edged close to finding Skywalker, hunting like the animal he was. The anticipation of it all clawed at the two men wildly; they knew the day of finally proving themselves was upon them.

Before leaving with Phasma and her troopers, Ren had told Ares that he was going to Jakku in search of a Lor San Tekka who may have a piece of a map to Skywalker. Hux’s quarters looked more bare than usual since Starkiller was done. Their separate quarters on Starkiller unnerved Ren to no end, but he said nothing of it. He disliked the thought of Hux being on the base away from Ares. Hux was insistent on keeping Ares away from Starkiller Base because of what it was to be used for and Ren, for once, didn't argue but merely because he knew his attentions had to be elsewhere.

Hux would occasionally find gifts left for Ares from Ren, usually more supplies, but would hardly see him unless Snoke requested a meeting. He was far too busy to fret over Ren’s tasks anyhow. 

Until Ren brought a filthy Resistance pilot on his ship. 

Ren had gone to Jakku but had not found a map piece, instead, he was saddled with a lowly pilot he vaguely remembered from his childhood. Poe Dameron most likely didn’t recognize him, covered and all, but Ren recalled Leia praising Dameron’s Republic parents like they were family. (Ren felt something strange on Jakku, something he couldn’t explain, and he had scared off a strange Stormtrooper with blood marks on his mask as he stared. He kept the thought of that stormtrooper in his back pocket). 

Hux was somewhere in between disgusted and proud when Dameron arrived on their ship. Ren had forcibly ripped the piece of the information Dameron was trying to keep away from them with his forceful hand. 

Outside the interrogation room, Hux was waiting, greatcoat and all. The General looked fearsome and maniacal, but the slight sneer in his face was unattractive to Ren. He was there for business, not pleasure. Hux could smell blood and fire on Ren; it was a smell that stuck to Ren often now. Ren was too wrapped up in finding that damned Skywalker map to even consider Hux. 

“It’s in a droid, a BB unit,” Ren said through his vocoder as he stepped out of the interrogation room. 

Hux gave a little smirk but his eyes were full of frustration and anger. He didn’t want to waste his time further. “Well, then, if it’s on Jakku we’ll soon have it,” General Hux said, his voice as even as ever. 

“I leave that to you,” Ren said, striding off. He could feel Hux’s despise roll off him in waves but he didn’t care too much. It was petty hate. Despite that, Ren would say everything was going pretty well. 

Hux took notice when Ren didn’t go see Ares, but he was slightly understanding. They were busier than ever. Not even Lieutenant Mitaka could truly spare hours to look after Ares. 

It was going smoothly until a lowly stormtrooper thought it was ample time to have a treasonous awakening and make off with their pilot. 

Hux couldn’t believe it for a moment, Phasma’s troopers were impenetrable and unmovable. As the stormtrooper and the pilot flew off in a tie, Ren hovered near him and Phasma as he realized his success was slipping away so easily. Hux could feel the eyes of older officers burning into him, questioning his stormtrooper program even though Brendol was the one to begin it. They all wanted to watch Hux mess up. 

As Hux searched for the name of the trooper, confirming Ren’s assumptions about the escape, he felt a slight twitch creep into the muscles in his hands. Did Ares need something? 

“The one from the village, FN-2187” Ren confirmed himself. Hux figured Ren used his mythical force powers to find that out but he wanted to roll his eyes. Why did he even bother searching if Ren was just going to ask rhetorical questions and then answer them?

“Sir, ventral cannons hot,” Captain Phasma said.

“Fire,” Hux ordered and the ship couldn’t escape. The _Finalizer_ rumbled with the fire; it felt liberating. 

FN-2187, according to Phasma, had no prior signs of nonconformity and his sudden decision to help Resistance scum was his first offense. He couldn’t imagine what caused the sudden change of heart but didn’t have the time to care. He wanted to scold her for somehow not seeing any strange behavior in the stormtrooper but it seemed there was nothing to see as out of the ordinary in him until today. 

An officer called for him, “General! They’ve been hit!”

“Destroyed?” Hux asked. 

“Disabled. They were headed back to Jakku. The fighter is projected to crash in the Goazon badlands.”

“They were going back for the droid,” Hux concluded quickly. Ren wouldn’t be pleased. “Send a squad to the wreckage.” 

That should’ve been the end of it. Hux should’ve been going on a quick check to see Ares but instead, he was pestered further by this defector. Soon he had to shine his boots and put on his greatcoat to leave for Starkiller Base for a short period of time. Ares would be watched by his droid and Doctor Nikos when she could spare a moment, but he rather at least see his son once before leaving. 

He couldn’t say he wanted Ren to see Ares at all. He was more violent and irritated recently and always brushed Hux’s suggestions off like they were inferior to his own thoughts. The Knight made Hux want to grind his teeth until there was nothing left of them, better yet, he wanted Snoke to see the foolishness of his own chosen prodigy and the worth of his force-less General. 

No amount of logic could stop Kylo Ren’s rage and gratuitous self-worth. He strode with Hux across the bridge. 

“Supreme Leader was explicit. Capture the droid if we can, but destroy it if we must,” Hux explained to Ren once again. Snoke hardly got involved with most military matters, he tended just to point them in the right direction, but his explicit instructions about the droid was a clear indication that Snoke was focused on this map to Skywalker. Hux agreed with its importance, even if he didn’t like things having to do with the Force. If the Resistance had Luke Skywalker amongst them, many would kiss their feet and praise the Resistance for having such a legend with them. 

“How capable are your soldiers?” Ren asked without missing a beat. 

“I won’t have you questioning my methods.”

“They're obviously skilled at committing high treason. Perhaps Leader Snoke should consider using a clone army,” Ren said crudely. Hux stepped in front of him so they were in each other’s face. Hux tried to keep his face straight but his anger was obvious.

“My men are exceptionally trained. Programmed from birth,” Hux asserted in a raised voice. He half wanted to stomp his foot down but refrained; he wasn’t going to be the childish one in this situation. 

“Then they should have no problem retrieving the droid. Unharmed,” Ren said back. Hux _hated_ how Ren always assumed he had the most authority. If the man didn’t have his stupid mythical powers and useful bloodline (not everyone knew of Ren’s blood relations) then he’d just be another ignorant, tantrum-throwing man who thought he was special because his mommy said he was. 

“Careful, Ren, that your personal interests not interfere with orders from Leader Snoke,” Hux warned. Ren got closer to his face but Hux didn’t budge. 

“I want that map,” Ren said in a low voice, his vocoder making his voice more menacing, “For your sake... I suggest you get it.”

The Knight bumped passed Hux, leaving the General to consider his threatening words. Hux didn’t know whether to be worried or to toss a mouse droid at the back of that stupid bucket head. 

Hux swallowed hard and returned to his post, watching Ren stalk off like a wild beast impatiently looking for prey. Ren was looking for blood; his emotions were unstable and only grew more unstable as the piece to the Skywalker map moved farther and farther away from him.

Hux thought Ren was despicable. He hated his selfishness and victimizing behavior. He hated his stupid helmet hidden face and his black robes that still couldn’t hide how large he was. 

His comlink beeped but he didn’t answer it, he knew he had to go check on Ares. 

The only thing that wasn’t giving him a headache was, ironically, his son. He was highly anticipating his speech on Starkiller Base and he wasn’t nervous at all. The only certain thing he had and could control fully was how Ares was doing. The certainty of his son brought him great comfort in these chaotic times, even though he wanted Ares to have nothing to do with any of it. 

Ares was an emotionally intelligent child. Hux was immensely proud of him, but also worried about how long Ares had been stuck in the confines of his chambers. Holofilms could only do so much to expose Ares to the galaxy.

Hux quickly returned to his chambers and Ares immediately ran over to him, his feet paddling on the floor and his throat whining. 

“Papa! Stay!” Ares said immediately. Hux kept a straight face and picked Ares up. 

“I'm busy, Ares. Can you spend time with Doctor Nikos?”

“No!” Ares demanded. Hux groaned and looked to the NAN-E droid. He didn’t like her much anymore; he thought even with the upgrades she was ugly and wasn’t suited for his toddler anymore. He was considering getting protocol droid that he would modify for Ares.

“Ares, this is very important to your daddy and I. We are trying to protect the galaxy. The disgraceful Resistance is making our work very difficult,” Hux rambled, walking into his bedchambers and balancing Ares on the bed. The NAN-E droid followed, but only to pick up Ares’ toys. 

“Bad guys?” Ares asked and Hux hummed in agreement. 

“Yes, Ares.” Hux opened his drawers. “Droid! Where’s my command cap? I must be heading to Starkiller Base!” 

The _Finzalier_ was heading to Starkiller base, another beautiful baby of Hux’s blood and tears. Hux heard giggling from Ares and turned to see that Ares had his command cap on his head. 

“Look!” He said, still laughing. He tossed him back on the bed and kicked his legs as he giggled. Hux sighed and removed his hat from his son’s head, unsure of how Ares found it. 

“Very funny. Did you use the Force to get it?” Hux asked, turning to his mirror and placing his cap on his hate, making sure every fine hair on his head looked neat with the cap on. 

“No…” Ares was still laughing. Hux suspected he was lying but wasn’t too pressed to ask questions. 

“Behave, Ares,” Hux warned in a playful tone, giving Ares a quick tickle on his stomach before going to his closet to get his greatcoat. 

“Where dada?” Ares asked, sitting back up. His golden hair had now some orange tints in it, but it was closer to blonde than ginger. His hair was an absolute mess. It was hard to keep neat; Hux knew it was a trait Ares got from Ren. Ren would argue that Ares' incessant talking came from Hux, but he wasn't around enough to tease Hux about it. 

“Working.” The comlink beeped and Hux groaned. He stepped out of his bedchambers, leaving Ares to roll around on his bed. He answered firmly, “General Hux here.” 

“Sir, Lord Kylo Ren has destroyed equipment again,” an officer immediately reported. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “He also choked Lieutenant Mitaka after he gave Lord Ren a report about the droid on Jakku. We were unable to capture the droid,” Hux rolled his eyes, “it has been taken by a girl and the traitor onboard a Corellian YT model freighter, sir.” 

“Track that freighter and don’t invoke any more of Kylo Ren’s rage. If you have any problems with him, contact me. I’m sure he’ll be chasing after that droid personally. Send a technician to do a report on the damage,” he ordered. “How is the Lieutenant?”

“He’s fine sir, sent to medical but nothing major. Perhaps a few bruises.” 

“Send the Lieutenant my regards, Hux out.” He hung up. He _really_ wanted to murder Ren now. The man had no right to lash out on his equipment _nor_ his officers. Especially Lieutenant Mitaka, who patiently helped Hux with Ares and kept his mouth shut tighter than an airlock.  

He returned to Ares and pushed some hair out of Ares’ face. The toddler pouted and sniffled, sensing his father was leaving once again. 

“No go?” Ares plead, reaching up and asking to be held. Hux leaned down and pecked Ares on top of his head. 

“I must. The galaxy must be subdued and made safe for you. Be strong, little one,” Hux told his son. Ares whined, perhaps not knowing every single word of Hux’s little speech but knowing his father’s intentions. 

He didn’t cry when Hux left; he knew he’d return. 

 

///

 

Ren and Hux stared up at Snoke’s hologram. They were both in their full layers, all Hux was missing was his command cap. Neither of them thought of Ares, they were thinking of the mega weapon they were standing over and the suspense they were feeling. The holochamber on Starkiller was colder than the one on the Finalizer, but even so, a furious chill sat close to the two men. 

They knew Snoke was disappointed. They kept their chins up but more so wanted to lash out at one another. 

“The droid will soon be delivered to the Resistance... leading them to the last Jedi. If Skywalker returns... the new Jedi will rise.” Snoke’s imposing voice was low, making sure the two knew how they screwed up. 

“Supreme Leader, I take full responsibility…” Hux tried to appease professionally but was cut off. 

“General!” Snoke echoes in a louder tone. Hux twitched, pretending he didn’t flinch. “Our strategy must now change.” 

“The weapon. It is ready,” Hux said with fearsome pride. He was frightening in his own way. He was just one skinny man but he had the power to point at planets and destroy them, and he had the mind to make those weapons. While Ren didn’t like Hux, he knew there was worth to him beyond watching his son. “I believe the time has come to use it. We shall destroy the government... that supports the Resistance... the Republic. Without their friends to protect them... the Resistance will be vulnerable. And we will stop them before they reach Skywalker.”

“Go. Oversee preparations.” Snoke waved Hux off. 

“Yes, Supreme Leader.” Hux gave Ren a smug little look before stalking off to prepare for he had been waiting for for years. He was going to prove himself. Even the Imperial old men who still roamed about would see how they mistakenly called him weak. 

Ren was alone, stuck to atone for his own mistakes since Hux slithered his way out of his. He knew Hux was trying to be the bigger man and it infuriated him, but now he had another purpose. He couldn’t and _wouldn’t_ be bothered by Hux’s petty actions. 

Snoke was quiet for a moment then turned to Kylo Ren. “There has been an awakening. Have you felt it?” 

“Yes.” The Force was swimming so lively nowadays. It had begun to stir on Jakku and now it was howling. Something was here. Something was coming. Something had awakened and was going to rise. 

“There's something more. The droid we seek is aboard the Millennium Falcon. In the hands of your father... Han Solo,” Snoke said darkly, articulating each syllable of his father’s name clearly so Ren would break. But Ren didn’t shatter. He kept his head high. He was trained for this. There was nothing for him in the past. 

“He means nothing to me,” Ren asserted but he didn’t think Snoke believed him. 

He would never be associated with Han Solo again. The last name was as cursed to him as Skywalker. Even if he had an ounce of respect for his father, he never understood how he got the last name Solo over Organa. He associated it with the dysfunctionality of his former family and their unwillingness to accept blood and destiny. Leia continued to use her last name, despite her son taking the name of Solo.

Solo wasn’t even Han’s last name. The man was a pitiful liar, living the dream of a war hero.  And he hated the name Ben. He didn’t want to be like any of those damn Jedi. 

He supposed his annoyance with it didn’t matter anymore. His concern was facing Han Solo. He wasn’t just faced with dealing with his father as a son, he was facing dealing with his father _as_ a father. His feelings somehow felt changed about Han Solo (the disdain was still very much there) now that Ares was in the picture. He didn’t think Ares resembled his father very much, but a curious part of his mind wondered what Han Solo would think about the young Ares Hux-Ren. 

“Even you, master of the Knights of Ren... have never faced such a test,” Snoke said. Ren twitched, unaware if his Master sensed his train of thought. 

“By the grace of your training, I will not be seduced.”

“We shall see. We shall see,” Snoke said in a drawn-out voice. 

Ren squeezed his fist at his side as Snoke’s projection faded out of existence. 

He felt it, he hated it, he wanted to push it away. The light was a parasitic thing, yearning for purity and emotionless slavery of the mind. Ren would not succumb to it. Jedi were weak, petulant, and delusional. He would not suppress who he was, even if the light was offering something gentle and familiar. He didn’t want familiarity; he had something new. He had his Knights, he had the First Order to wield, he had power over others, he had Hux occasionally when he wanted to, he at what he needed and he wanted more than the light could offer.

Most of all, he had Ares. His son, his blood, his heir to the throne of the dark side. 

Ares wasn’t allowed to live in his chambers. It was a specific demand of Hux’s he despised but realized it was most likely for the best. He didn’t need Hux or Ares to see the shrine he had. Darth Vader’s mask was gifted to him by Snoke and he treasured it; he knew it was the only familiar guidance he needed. If Luke and Leia wanted to hold him back and Han Solo wanted to pretend he had no special abilities, then he’d seek out guidance elsewhere.

Sitting in front of the mask, he felt ashamed. He didn’t care but to impress two people: his Master and Darth Vader. 

“Forgive me,” he began earnestly in a soft tone, “I feel it again. The pull to the light. Supreme Leader senses it. Show me again. The power of the darkness. And I will let nothing stand in our way. Show me... Grandfather... and I will finish... what you started.” 

The mask was wordless and his grandfather’s voice was absent from his mind. He almost wished he would hear a reply, but wasn’t delusional enough to expect it. There was more he wanted to say, to ask, about Ares. Was he doing right by his son? Did he need to have his son in his mind or Ares already fated to turn out a certain way with or without his influence? 

Something in the Force changed slightly, Ren felt it but it was so subtle if he wasn’t sitting in a quiet room staring at a helmet he wouldn’t have noticed. He blinked. Nothing changed visibly, not that his dark eyes could see.

Not yet.

 

///

 

Hux was the most powerful man in the universe. He felt it in his bones, his blood, and his power shone in his eyes. 

The stage on Starkiller Base rose him above the stormtroopers. Behind him, Captain Phasma and several officers stood silently and listened to their fierce General’s words about how they would crush the New Republic. The world around them was cold and merciless, but currently not as merciless as their General.

He yelled out his last words so fiercely that he thought his voice might break or he might have strained his throat but he was too wrapped up into exertion of his power that he didn’t care. Everyone was watching. Even Ren, who was on the _Finalizer_ , was watching and waiting for the red beams of light to fire.

With his last words to carry out the order, he felt as though the sun was transferring power into him instead of into his fearsome machine. He felt like he was full of deadly starlight that was unequivocally powerful. Starkiller Base’s planet killer charged and charged; it was a weapon of Hux’s creation and his brain alone. The help he received was minimal and unmatched; he knew he was an underappreciated engineer but he thought it would be better to hide all his skills. 

The red beams that were shot through space were big and beautiful and were reflected in Hux’s eyes. It was magnificent.

But still, just for a microsecond, Hux doubted himself. Was he doing right by Ares? 

He was doing right by himself and the Order, so it must’ve been good for Ares, he concluded. Nobody would challenge them. His legacy, his son, and his power would be safe. 

He knew Ren was watching the beams fly. He wondered if Ren finally saw him as his equal. 

It was a perfect moment. Hux felt like an emperor. 

But, as in the Force, everything had a balance. To Hux’s success, there had to be a misstep. 

 

///

 

It had gone _wrong_ and Ren wanted to rip into someone’s throat. He had gone after the map only to find some strange, useless scavenger girl with the map in her head. He took her, instead of the droid, down to Starkiller to inspect her.

She knew Han Solo, she thought of him as a _father,_ like a pitiful lost puppy. He didn’t feel sympathy for her, he only had anger that she dared to interact with Han Solo. 

_Why was she so special?_

“ _Get_ out of my head!” She demanded. She reminded him of Hux for a moment, telling him to do things, knowing that he was searching for something dark. He resented her more.

She resisted him as she trembled with teary eyes in the interrogation seat. He didn’t worry until her fighting became stronger and she sat up straighter with fierce eyes, looking into his head instead. He knew how uncomfortable and scared she was; she felt like she was being violated to an extremely personal extent but Ren didn't care. He could traumatize her but as long as he got his map, he'd be satisfied. What was one pathetic scavenger to him?

Then she found a small insecurity, something so private and stupid that he was shocked to hear it. 

_You’re afraid—_

“The scavenger... resisted you?” Snoke’s voice boomed in the Starkiller holochamber. His Master was surprised and furious. 

“She is strong with the Force!” Ren announced in a rushed manner, desperate to go back to her and find out more. How could someone so strong go unnoticed by him and his Knights and Snoke? “Untrained, but stronger than she knows.”

“And the droid?”

Before Ren could procure some idiotic answer, General Hux strode in as smug and proud as ever. He was still on a high from firing Starkiller and he showed through his steps. 

Hux hid it well but he was shocked to see Ren massless and vulnerable. He looked down almost lay in a childish manner when Hux entered like he was guilty of something. He hung his head and held his tongue, knowing Hux was there to gloat yet Ren had no place to push back against the General’s words. 

“Ren believed it was no longer valuable to us. That the girl was all we needed. As a result, the droid has most likely been returned to the hands of the enemy. They may have the map already,” Hux told the Supreme Leader. He didn’t know _what_ Ren was thinking, getting some stupid girl instead of a physical map. What was he going to do, draw it? Selfishly go off on his own to find one of the most powerful Force users? Ridiculous. 

“Then the Resistance must be destroyed before they get to Skywalker,” Snoke said. 

“We have their location. We tracked their reconnaissance ship to the lleenium system.” Ren grew resentful of Hux for being prepared. He knew he was going to be punished while Hux got subtle praise. 

“Good. Then we will crush them once and for all. Prepare the weapon,” Snoke instructed Hux. 

Desperate to win back Snoke’s attention, Ren quickly added, “Supreme Leader, I can get the map from the girl. I just need your guidance.”

“If what you say about this girl is true... Bring her to me.” Snoke’s voice slowed and articulated every syllable to stress the importance of capturing the scavenger.

Ren almost felt envious.

 

///

 

As the planet rumbled unsteadily, Ren thought about Han Solo. He played back the fresh memory of him putting his lightsaber through his father’s chest and recalled how Han touched his face so lightly. He thanked Han Solo for freeing him from the constant burden of thinking about his past family.

Most of all, he thanked Han Solo for dying so he could let Ares live (not that the smuggler knew that). He was free of old familial bonds, free of expectations, free of thinking he’d have to choose over his son and his father, but he still failed tremendously. 

It was all thanks to that stupid, wretched, scavenger with the Force and her traitorous friend. He could’ve taught her about the Force and molded her into a Knight of Ren. She would’ve been powerful and useful but she chose Leia and Han’s dying rebellion over his immense power and he didn’t understand why she didn’t listen.

He hated her, but he also still desired to pull her to the dark side.

The snow was cold against his exposed face and some of it got into his face wound, but Ren couldn’t tell if it was helping or hurting him. The scavenger had used that cursed blue lightsaber (it was supposed to be his! He used it as a child and now two weak-willed fools wielded it!) to slice open his face. The blood was still running from all of his new wounds. Chewbacca had shot him, the scavenger had sliced him, and the Resistance had indubitably blown up Hux’s superweapon. He liked the imagine Hux was throwing a tantrum right now, or maybe Hux was already dead. 

Ren didn’t think he’d die lying in the snow, beaten by some girl who didn’t know the Force, cut open and vulnerable to the earth opening up under him. He wanted to move but didn’t know where he’d go; the ships were probably all gone by now. 

_Ren!_

His vision was blurry. He thought he was hearing things. A tree crashed nearby and Ren didn’t even flinch.

_Ren!_

He killed his father, but now was dying and his son was faraway on a spaceship. Perhaps the cycle of Skywalker fathers was meant to be like this: dying so their sons could thrive. 

Something bright was above his face. He saw a spot of red in a black uniform. He felt a hand on his shoulder and another at his side, urging him to get up.

“Ren! Get up, you idiot! Don’t die here, come on,” Hux said angrily. Ren let out a pained sigh.

_Hux came for me_? He thought. His vision cleared and he saw Hux’s red-rimmed eyes. The General was filled with wrath and fear. He was furious that his weapon was destroyed and that he had to go fetch Ren while the planet was collapsing, but he was also fearful of what would come after. He was scared Ren would die, for some reason.

And hearing that thought gave Ren some strength. It was nice to think Hux still, somewhere in his selfish soul, cared for Ren just a little.

Ren wanted Hux to give him his admiration. He almost said _please_ to Hux, begging for him not to leave, but his mind was in a different place too distant to coherently describe any feelings he had for Hux. 

A team of stormtroopers helped get Ren on a stretcher. The Knight let out a loud groan, but he was more agitated than in pain. 

“I’ll kill that kriffing girl!” He announced as Hux and the troopers ran through the snow of the collapsing forest to their transport. It was all _her_ fault, he concluded, she was ruining his chances at becoming who he wanted to be because she had some childish, innocent desire to become a Jedi and save the Resistance, for whatever reason.

“You’ll have to stay alive for that then,” Hux said to him. Ren felt Hux’s hand on his arm, squeezing him. Ren didn’t know if Hux was trying to will Ren to stay alive or if he was anxious.

“Hux—” Ren tried to say, slightly desperate. 

“Don’t speak! Save your strength you barbarian. You’re going to need it.” Hux paused. Ren noticed how pale Hux was. “Snoke will want to see us.”

Ren didn’t speak more; Hux and the troopers focused on getting Ren through the forest. 

The black transport was waiting for them and the moment they all boarded the ship, it took off fiercely, jerking everyone violently. Hux watched from a window as Starkiller Base blew into pieces and disintegrated, its artificial, red starlight center fading out of existence. 

Ren wanted to kill the scavenger that ruined his face and humiliated him. Hux wanted to crush the galaxy under his boot for taking away something he had worked so hard on. 

Hux wanted to cry but didn’t. He could’ve died too. He and Ren, for that matter, could’ve never seen Ares again.

They might not ever see him anyway, depending on what Snoke would do to them. Panic was setting into Hux’s chest and his breathing became unsteady. He rubbed his eyes quickly so nobody would see, but only Ren and he were together on their little section of the transport. 

“Hux.” The General looked up and turned. He walked over to Ren slowly and began to unzip the first layer of Ren’s clothes, not even bothering to respond to whatever Ren wanted to say. He was struggling to unzip Ren as his hands trembled. Hux swallowed hard.

“We need to evaluate the damage. I can’t have you bleeding out before we get back to the Finalizer.” Ren groaned and grabbed Hux’s wrist, stopping the General from trying to help. “Ren, you stubborn prick, let me put bacta on some of your wounds. You’re bleeding still.” 

“No. Let them scar over,” Ren said. 

“Are you insane? You still might die.”

“I won’t though. Let me have this. I need a reminder.” Hux slipped his wrist out of Ren’s hand and sat there. Some snow was still sitting on his clothes and his eyelashes, melting away slowly. Ren could see the sorrow sitting evidently on Hux’s face. “You’re afraid.”

Hux scoffed. “Afraid? I’m furious. My life’s work has been destroyed and we almost died. Do you think the Supreme Leader will let us get off so easily? No. And no thanks to you did any of this go any better.”

“Do not lecture me right now. I did what I had to,” Ren insisted. Hux’s eyes were wide and he stared off into space. Ren could sense his mind running around. He wanted to be mad at Hux, but his pain took first priority. 

He wanted to tell someone about what he has done and he knew Hux was his only option. He coughed and felt pain shooting through his body. Since Ren wouldn’t let Hux put bacta on him, he instead reluctantly put a pain reliever into Ren’s mouth and made him swallow it. Ren didn’t put up much of a fight but glared at Hux. 

Once they returned back on the _Finalizer_ , Ren was rushed to the medbay to receive treatment. Nobody dared to step in their way and no officer had yet fully comprehended Hux’s failure to make snide comments at him or give him an odd look. They were even more shocked to find Ren lying on a floating stretcher, maskless, bleeding, and thrashing in fury as he demanded to be taken to Snoke instead. Hux tried to shush him. 

Hux helped put Ren on a cot, much to the Knight’s disdain. Ren insisted on doing everything himself. The doctors and med droids began to do their work and, much to everyone’s surprise, Ren didn’t fight them. He did demand for them to let his face scar stay instead of letting his skin heal fully. They didn’t go against his demands. They were more worried about the shot he took to his side which was the primary source of his blood running out. 

Hux’s comlink beeped. He didn’t know he was watching the doctors and Ren until he was snapped out of his worried gaze. 

Hux cleared his throat and answered, attempting to appear composed, “General Hux here.” 

“General Hux, I’m sorry to bother you, sir,” Doctor Nikos’s voice said on the other line. “But you must come to the medbay.”

“I’m already here with Kylo Ren, if that’s what you mean,” Hux replied. 

“No, sir! It’s Ares, he has a bad fever. I used the pod crib to transport him undetected,” Doctor Nikos said urgently. Hux could slightly hear Ares crying in the background. “His temperature is very high.”

Hux almost dropped his comlink in shock. He froze. Ren turned his head to look at his General, sensing and seeing his despair and how stunned he was but not knowing what it was about. 

As if his day couldn’t get _worse_. Hux wanted to scream, to cry, to throw up, and to crawl up into a ball and disappear. His failure sat heavily on his shoulders. He thought he was going to collapse, just like Starkiller Base.

A fever? Hux didn’t know what Ares would catch onboard the _Finalizer_ to become sick. His worry only increased because he knew Ares’ life was much too clean so he wasn’t used to germs, making it easier for him to get sick. His vaccines couldn’t protect him from all sickness and the effect of a regular illness was most likely only increased because of Ares’ intolerance for foreign germs. 

Ren, now shirtless, reached to Hux and gave him a weak tug with the Force. Hux stumbled and looked over to Ren.

“Where are you going?” Ren asked in a demanding tone. Hux narrowed his eyes at Ren, getting close to him. 

“Your son has a high fever and is in the medbay. I’m going to check on him,” Hux said in a low, dark voice. Ren’s eyes widened and he tried to sit up but a droid urged him back down. “You stay here and get healed. I wouldn’t let you put your bloody hands on my son anyway.” 

Hux spun back around and rushed out of Ren’s medbay chambers and quickly headed to Doctor Nikos’s designated practice space. When the door opened, Hux rushed inside and, sure enough, Ares was sitting on a table, crying and screaming while Doctor Nikos was shaking his wampa toy in front of him. 

Ares immediately took notice of Hux but didn’t stop crying. He put his arms up, red-faced and snot-covered, begging for his dad to hold him. He did look sickly, alarmingly so. As he cried, he let out loud coughs. Hux feared Ares would suffocate as he wouldn’t let himself stop crying. 

Hux picked Ares up, not worrying about the snot and tears that would stain him. He was already disheveled enough from running through the collapsing Starkiller Base and helping Ren. He knew there was some blood on him from touching Ren. 

“Shh, it’s alright. What’s wrong?” Hux tried to be calm and collected for his son, but even Ares could sense his distress. Ares continued to cry. Hux leaned his head against Ares. 

“I know there’s a lot going on, I apologize General, but his fever came on so suddenly. He was fine earlier but during the attack on Starkiller he started becoming sick. I gave him medicine and food and water but his fever won’t go down,” Doctor Nikos fretted, searching through her datapad for her notes and anything that could guide her on Ares’ ailment. 

Hux bounced Ares in his arms, thinking deeply about what the Doctor said. The timing of Ares’ sickness was odd, almost as if the two events were correlated. Hux didn’t want his mind to get sucked up on conspiracy theories, but he couldn’t help but think that maybe it was the Force.

He hated the Force. It was Ren’s use of the Force that injured his good officers and made him rise above his station unfairly. It was the Force that Ren used to get into everyone’s heads and see what was there— or what wasn’t there.

It was the Force that also connected him to Ares and Ares to Ren. He looked at his son’s red face. He picked up a cloth and wiped his snot away. 

“Doctor Nikos, I need you to do something for me,” Hux said, guiltily removing his eyes from his son to look at the worried Doctor.

“Yes, General?”

“Lord Ren is in the medbay. Go to his room and if the doctors have stabilized his wounds, tell them all to leave then call me. I have an idea, though it may only be a hunch,” he told her vaguely. Her face tightened but she nodded. 

She left the room and Hux delicately places Ares down into the pod crib that was used to expertly sneak him into the medbay. Hux realized this was the first real time Ares had left his chambers. Perhaps he was also overwhelmed about his new surroundings.

Hux was overwhelmed as well. He knew the _Finalizer_ was leaving Starkiller Base and heading towards the Resistance base. Hux had to oversee the next step in their chaotic mission, but he couldn’t leave Ren and Ares unattended. 

Hux waited, hanging his head. When the comlink beeped, Hux closed the hatch of the pod and Ares’ cries were partly silenced. He felt guilty for shutting his son in a box but had to out of necessity. Hux rushed back to Ren’s room, pushing the pod along so it would move faster.

Sure enough, the room was empty except for Ren who was seething on the cot, deciding if he wanted to pick off his bandages or not. Ren rose an eyebrow as Hux entered with the strange pod. The Knight’s chest had been wrapped in bandages and a strange black bandage was across Ren’s scar. He had been cleaned. Hux noticed a few broken droid parts around. Ren must’ve shattered a few of the med droids that bothered him too much. 

“What?” Ren asked in an angry voice. 

Hux ignored him and opened the pod. Ares’ cries were deafening and both his fathers cringed. Ares coughed loudly and Hux scooped the toddler back up and forced him into Ren’s arms. Ren almost dropped Ares from surprise but then held his son, watching the toddler cough and cry. 

Hux still had his hands up slightly from handing Ares over. He watched, wide-eyed and silent, trembling like a leaf. Ren was more shocked at Hux’s desperate look than at Ares’ against his newly wrapped chest. 

As Hux theorized, Ares began to calm down after a few minutes of being against Ren’s chest. The toddler hiccuped and sniffled, putting his thumb in his mouth and sucking. 

Hux let out a loud sigh and slumped against a wall.

“What is this?” Ren asked, not comprehending what happened.

Hux slid down the wall and put his head between his hands, looking down to the floor. He was defeated.

“The Force, I guess,” Hux said with bitter sarcasm. He meant it though. He hated the Force yet he felt like it was what was helping Ares feel better. 

“You said he had a fever.”

“He does,” Hux said tiredly, “but it appears he was just worried about you.”

“Worried about me?” Ren muttered, looking down at his son. 

Ren lightly pushed into Ares’ head with the Force. Though babies didn’t have linear and comprehensive thoughts, he could tell Ares must’ve sense Ren go down. It only angered him more to learn his son could sense some of his pain. That scavenger helped give Ares an illness without knowing it, Ren concluded;  she could’ve killed him and possibly Ares if Starkiller didn’t kill him first. 

He didn’t think any Force user could die from a force connection realistically, but Ares was just a toddler: he was too small and fragile to handle the Force or understand it. 

The room quieted and Hux stayed against the wall, hanging his head. He was contemplating how he could free himself of this mess and if there was any escape. Would his officers still respect him? Would Snoke kill him? His mind was running to dark places yet at the same time his head felt… empty. He wanted to sleep. 

“Hux.” The solemn General looked up. Ren was sitting still, Ares sleeping against him. The toddler seemed to look better, but he still looked sad. 

“What, Ren?” Hux answered bitterly. 

“I killed him.”

Hux paused. “...what?” 

“My… my father. I killed him,” Ren admitted. Hux didn’t know why Ren was sharing this information. The Knight’s eyes looked vulnerable and he almost looked laughably pathetic but Hux stayed dreary. Ren was giving something private to Hux and Hux wasn’t going to give it up, not now when he could lose everything else. 

“And how do you feel?” Hux asked, feeling somewhat stupid.

“I don’t know. It’s supposed to strengthen me but I don’t feel any stronger,” Ren said, his voice growing softer. 

“A lot has happened. Let it settle and see how you feel then. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

Ren shifted his jaw, staring at his sleeping son. He almost wondered if having Skywalker blood meant you were cursed to kill your father. He wondered if his fate was in the hands of his son. Perhaps one day Ares could kill him too. 

“Did you kill your father, Hux?” Ren asked. Hux was quiet for a moment, considering if he wanted to expose himself to Ren. 

He figured it didn’t matter anymore. Who was Ren going to tell? Snoke must've known and he didn’t care. The older officers suspected Hux but didn’t say anything and nobody young cared to mourn Brendol. 

“Yes,” Hux finally admitted. “I ordered it.” 

“How did you feel after?”

“Free.” Hux’s eyes looked glossy. “The man held me back, beat me, mentally abused me, and undermined me my whole life. He got what he deserved. I’m a better man now.”

“Are you?” Ren questioned but Hux didn’t answer. He was too tired to let Ren force him into a stupid philosophical debate about their choices and morality.

Doctor Nikos came in later to take Ares’ temperature. It had significantly gone down and his coughing had stopped but Doctor Nikos still wanted to give Ares medicine and watch him for the next day. Hux and Ren had no quarrel with her; they were too tired and caught up in their troubles to bite back at the Doctor. 

She left again. Hux glared at Ren, wanting to scream and cry at him for messing up as badly as he did, but instead, Hux got up steadily and went over to Ren. He slowly took Ares back, testing if his son would protest. Ren scowled at Hux for taking Ares but didn’t fight him. Ares merely let out a small hiccup and rested against Hux, exhausted like his parents. 

Ren laid down on the cot and turned his back to Hux, pouting like a stubborn child. 

“I must leave soon. There’s much to be done. You need to rest; Snoke will need us,” Hux said, rubbing Ares’ back. 

“He needs _me_. That’s why you fetched me,” Ren spat back. He couldn’t see how Hux’s face saddened. 

“He’s not the only one who needs you, you idiot.” Hux’s voice cracked. Ren rose and eyebrow and turned over again, grunting at the slight pain he felt in his side. Hux was looking away, staring at Ares’ pod. 

“General?”  

Hux put Ares back in the pod and Ares squirmed stubbornly, reaching up to his father. Hux gently pushed Ares to lay on his back and held his little hand for a moment, rubbing it in a calming manner so the toddler would accept the pod. Ares yawned and relaxed, allowing Hux to remove his hand and close the pod. 

“I have work to do,” Hux said coldly and went off with Ares, leaving Ren to heal alone.

Ren stared at the ceiling, the full gravity of what he had done not sitting with him quite yet. 

 

/// 

 

Ren didn’t hear the little mouse creeping back into his room in the medbay. He was fast asleep, letting himself recover from the toll of trying to take down two Resistance snakes while bleeding from his side. 

The room was dark and Ren only flinched when the door came back open. Not sensing danger, the Force told him to stay asleep. In his dreams, he was planning the best way to find the scavenger and test her worth. 

Slyly, Hux placed Ren’s helmet by his bedside. A good trooper went into flame and fury to get him the mask, Hux hoped that Ren would see the troopers as less disposable. The mask was still intact. Hux hated the thing, yet he still felt the need to bring it to Ren while the man slept. 

Hux stared at the sleeping Knight in the dark, at first sneering and then with a soft yet tired expression. He knew Ren would have a nasty scar across his face. 

Somehow he thought Ren would be more handsome with it. 

Hux cautiously went closer to Ren. He brushed a piece of hair away from Ren’s mouth and leaned over and kissed Ren on the bridge of his nose. He felt foolish doing it, but he felt something in his heart be lifted and freed. He didn’t know if he was lifting a tremendous burden off his chest, being kind, or if he thought it would be his only chance to let the strange connection they had between one another find closure. 

Perhaps it was the last time he’d look at Ren’s foolish face. Might as well give it a kiss if Snoke was going to kill him. In a way, the kiss was cruel and mocking, knowing that Ren would never know he got it. 

Hux went off again but, unlike Ren, he found no sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god that was long. please leave a comment if you survived basically having to relive TFA but this time with baby and gay. for reference, Ares is a little over age two now, so yes that means they basically avoided their emotional angst for a year but i find that to be completely in character. 
> 
> i really dreaded writing some of it cause i kept having to check the script to make sure what they are saying is accurate and the next chapter is The Last Jedi which brought even more pain but I swear i like made it better. i tried to like make it someone compliant while keeping it fun and fresh.
> 
> any way stan evil, villain kylo ren because I clearly find him very interesting. 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Follow me on Twitter if you want to regret being a star wars fan (jk) [@truemoongoddess](https://twitter.com/truemoongoddess)


	25. Don't Worry About Jedi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo now we are in the events of The Last Jedi, obviously with my own interpretations and with baby ares in the mix. villain kylo is the only kylo i respect. anyway, this chapter style is a bit different, it really flashes between scenes but hopefully, you feel the urgency and manipulation
> 
> leave a comment and a kudos <3
> 
> cw: tlj violence, manipulation (kylo views rey in a poor and abusive matter while preying on her weakness)

Exhaustion was too light of a term to describe the state Hux was in. He had not been murdered for his indiscretions but he knew if he didn’t prove himself soon that he’d lose all credibility. Having a toddler to care for privately wasn’t exactly making the job easier.

The cost of losing Starkiller was great. They may have wastefully made their point known and their power evident, but many of the senior officers felt as though the credits they used were basically thrown into landfills. 

Snoke kept Hux afloat though unless the Supreme Leader was waiting for an opportunity to truly abuse him. Snoke knew there was a virulent power to Hux underneath it all. which is why he was being patient. He was smart and maniacal and Snoke theorized Hux would bounce back even stronger for the Order under this new immense pressure. He’d create something greatly violent. 

Ren was cold and quiet, quieter than ever before, but everyone knew his anger was growing greatly underneath his skin. Ren hardly looked Hux’s way before he was sent to the _Supremacy_ , not that they saw each other anyway. The First Order was edging closer and closer to the Resistance and Hux and Ren couldn’t wait to smash them like little insects.

As they neared, Hux’s usual fierceness and sharpness waned in favor of exhaustion, paranoia, and slight delusion. He didn’t just feel tired, he also _looked_ tired. His skin was sickly pale and there were ugly bags under his eyes. He lost his usual attractiveness to his fears of Snoke’s cruel hand. He was once again running on strictly stims and caf despite his constant reminders from his doctor to do better, but Doctor Nikos couldn’t keep track of him in these trying times. He wouldn’t take recommendations from any droids either.

Not many dared to comment on Hux’s looks, especially when things were fragile, but it didn’t take long for a certain chrome Captain to make her way over to Hux when he was caught off guard.

“General,” she said, entering a meeting room. A few officers were still filing out, leaving Hux at the head of the table with a datapad in his hands. 

He didn’t look to her. “Captain Phasma.”

“The traitor Lieutenant Sol Rivas who brought down Starkiller’s shields has been swiftly and efficiently dealt with,” she told him, her voice as cool as ever within her mask. 

They both had a mutual distrust for one another. Phasma worried that Hux knew the truth about her shortcomings. Getting caught by the ex-stormtrooper that seemed to start all of the First Order’s chaos was both ironic and dangerous for the Captain. She knew that, ultimately, the main fault was hers even when everyone pointed their fingers to Hux. 

Still, he didn’t express that he outright knew about her traitorous action. There were some sly remarks, but she couldn’t tell if it was just his tiredness taking over. 

“Ah, good,” he said plainly. He side-eyed her, curling his lips. “Anything else?” The Captain stayed still. “I know you didn’t just come all the way here out of your way to tell me this when there’s so much work to do, Captain.” 

The doors closed and they were alone together. The light in the room was provided from the window that looked to the distant stars they were passing. Everyone counted the stars like seconds as they headed to D’Qar to eliminate the Resistance. 

“No, sir.” She paused. “Permission to speak freely?”

“I mean, I assume you’re going to do so anyway so might as well,” he said, somewhat bitter.

Surprisingly, Phasma removed her mask and placed it on the table. He nearly jumped at her sudden willingness to break protocol. Unlike Ren, her stern face would not reveal any emotion or weakness. She was the same with and without her mask. 

“Captain!” Hux exclaimed, scandalized.

“You don’t look well Armitage, and I know it’s more than just Starkiller that’s bothering you,” she began firmly, resting a hand on the chair in front of her. She had a black skin-tight hood that kept her hairs in place over her head and she pulled it down and let her short blonde hair free. She looked more human now, but she still radiated her intrepid energy. 

“I beg your pardon? What a ridiculous statement. How is it _not_ Starkiller that’s bothering me? It’s all linked to that, obviously! Come on Phas, don’t act as you care for my well being anyway,” he told her, almost scolding her. She could sense how he was hiding something; by only running on stims and caf and by becoming wrapped up in chaos, he was becoming unwound and his lies and worries were becoming easier to see.

“Everyone just sees that you are stressed, but I know you more than them. Don’t think of it as caring for your well being, think of it as something beneficial for the First Order. We can’t move forward if you are out of sorts. Kylo Ren certainly isn’t helping, that lunatic,” she said. Even in her cruel or sarcastic statements, she kept her tone strictly analytical and serious, unlike Hux who was unraveling at the seams. 

“You can’t help me. Not that I believe you’d betray me,” Phasma’s face stayed neutral but Hux gave her a look that made her curl her fingers against the chair she held onto, “but this is something I, alone, can face. You’re better off making up for this error by reinforcing our education on our troopers and instilling authority back into the Order. People aren’t foolish, Captain. Even the dullest stone may bare some sharp edges to certain individuals.” 

“Then doing something smart by yourself, Armitage,” Phasma insisted. He glared at her. “Don’t be like that. Let me help you.” 

He was tired of needing help or being offered help. He was a General, he shouldn’t need help. 

“Why would I let you?”

“Because you’re my General and I need to make up to you my shortcomings. You’re hiding something, and I will not hold it against you but I know it ails you. I know your history, I’ve killed for you just because, so let me see why you are killing yourself.”

He stared at her quietly for a good long while. He didn’t know why she was insistent, guilty or not guilty of causing the implosion of Starkiller. Her eyes showed no real empathy, but she was genuinely concerned. He swallowed, feeling his neck become sweaty. 

He knew he was heading down another dangerous slope. He didn’t want to collapse again. 

He didn’t know if he trusted Phasma, but he knew she couldn’t do more to hurt him without hurting herself.

He got up abruptly and Phasma flinched, folding her hands but her side. He adjusted his collar and pushed a loose strand of hair back into place.

“If you wish to be _so_ useful and intrusive, Captain, then follow me and keep your mouth shut. One slip up and I won’t be afraid to execute you, despite your use. Understand?” She nodded stiffly, used to her General’s cruelness. “Put on your helmet and follow me.” 

She did as she was told, heading out with Hux through the halls of the _Finalizer_ with vicious intent. His strides were a bit more fast-paced than usual. Her long legs allowed her to effortlessly follow him but his odd behavior could not go unnoticed. 

They stood in front of his chamber doors. He looked up and down the hall to check to see if there would be anyone peeping on their conversations. He turned sharply to her, wordless. She gave him a firm nod, though she was secretly uneasy about what he was going to show her. 

She honestly did not expect what he was hiding at all. In fact, she half expected for Kylo Ren to be lounging around Hux’s chambers like a house husband. She had a betting pool with other troopers that Hux and Kylo were in a secret, romantic relationship but as every day passed, her bet began to seem less like a joke and more like a cruel simplification of Hux’s relationship with Ren. She highly suspected they were involved, one way or another, but wondered if Ren had an abusive attitude towards Hux that was too much like the late Brendol Hux’s relationship with his son. 

No, she did not at all suspect to see Hux’s chambers with a NAN-E droid traveling about. Hux instructed her to shut down before she could speak and the droid tucked herself away. Phasma awkwardly sat down on Hux’s couch and removed her helmet again. Hux went into his bedchamber and came back with the most unexpected thing in the galaxy: a baby.

Well, a toddler, Phasma assumed, by its size and attitude. It only raised more questions. Admittedly, Phasma hadn’t been shocked in years. Even the Resistance’s infiltration of Starkiller Base was somehow probable in her mind, even if it was disappointing. 

The toddler just seemed to wake up. 

“Pa-pa-pa,” the toddler chanted, rubbing its face into Hux’s shoulder. 

“Since you were so insistent on figuring out what’s wrong with me, here’s your answer,” Hux said, somewhat bitterly. Phasma didn’t notice how her lips were slightly parted in shock. “This is Ares. My son.”

“Your son,” Phasma replied plainly. Ares eyed the strange chrome woman cautiously. He didn’t like strangers. 

“Yes.”

“General, has this— your son been on the _Finalizer_ his whole life?” She asked, earning a sigh from the General. 

“Yes. He can’t exactly leave.” 

“And, who’s his mother?”

“Me.” Hux’s face was so serious that Phasma actually couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. He then clarified with, “He has no mother.” 

Hux disliked this awkward introductory phase of letting people into his life. He was having flashbacks of when he had revealed Ares to Lieutenant Mitaka. Unlike Mitaka though, Phasma was stricter and colder at her core. She didn’t really care for children, but she also knew her place in the First Order. He doubted she’d do anything to harm Ares, but he also doubted that she wasn’t thinking about how she could use Ares against him if necessary. 

“So it’s just you? Armitage...”

“...yes.” Hux groaned. “Stop calling me Armitage. I’m still your General.” 

“My General apparently is a _father_ and has been hiding it from the whole ship. Sir, are you asking me to help you watch this child? Empathy isn’t really my strong point,” she said openly. She was half lying, not that Hux knew. On her home planet Parnassos, the infant mortality rate was high so her clan cherished children above all else. She was willing to protect children, but couldn’t say she felt motherly or attached to any child before. 

She could tell in Hux’s eyes that he was attached to his son, though. It was completely unlike him to have a loving look in his eyes. She knew he was passionate and was cruel, but she did not think he was in love with anything. They conspired together and hid each other secrets (Armitage was the only one to know something about her past) but this was a secret Phasma was not prepared for.

The chrome Captain recalled the only child she had ever come in contact with for a long period of time. On Parnassos, the child Frey that had lived with her was valued above all else. She liked to think she saved that child and helped her as she brought Frey into the Order with her but, alas, Phasma had to murder the girl to prevent her from describing where she had come from. Phasma thought perhaps Ares would do better by the Order than her useless attempt at making Frey into a soldier. 

She didn’t attach herself to children, but she hated for their potential to be thrown away. Ares was a clear example of having potential. She couldn't let her General’s child not live up to the First Order. 

“We must both be heading to the _Supremacy_ soon, I figure. But these next few days or hours will be vital for the Order and I cannot miss a meeting or be caught off guard. Ares can’t be alone like this though.” Hux took in a deep breath. Ares was staring at Phasma, the color of his eyes a telltale sign of his relation to Hux. “I strongly despise asking for assistance but there aren’t many I can trust with this task and I know you are capable, even if this is below your station.”

“Playing babysitter isn’t my style,” she admitted, but not as a way to deter his offer.

“I’m aware. But you are intelligent to know how to make even the frailest of people strong and you also know how to _keep a secret_. I’m certain Ares will not be threatened with you looking after him,” Hux said. She twitched, again not knowing if Hux knew of her self preserving actions. 

Before Phasma could produce a response, Hux walked over and shoved Ares into her arms. She held him, blank-faced. Ares was making a sour face at the blonde woman. He smacked his hand against her chrome armor, curious about the texture, shine, and the noise it made. She grimaced but didn’t object. 

“He’s unlike you,” she said.

“I mean, he’s a child. Children usually don’t have a personality beyond curious and cranky,” he said. Hux heard Phasma huff, almost like she was laughing. 

She was lying though, she knew Ares was just like his father. His eyes were full of a passion for power and his heart was as big as a star that he wished to destroy. Phasma looked to Hux with uncertainty; it was the first time in forever Phasma perhaps didn’t know Hux entirely or could guess what his next move was. She didn’t have the vaguest notion of what Hux wanted to do with a child. 

Raise it? Preposterous. And yet…

There was an unwritten message that Hux gave her when he handed her Ares.

 _I’m afraid,_  his loving expression to his son said, _I’m afraid of dying and leaving you behind._

They were both in danger of dying. Snoke was cruel, Kylo Ren was perhaps crueler, and they were both traitors of their own kind. Phasma preserved herself but gave up her General’s greatest weapon. Hux preserved his son by sacrificing part of his soul and his cruelness; his care for Ares could be twisted and he knew it but he couldn’t help but want to do more for his son. 

Phasma thought of Frey again, the little girl she killed from her home planet to preserve herself. She looked at Ares, who cooed at her.

Somehow, Phasma knew Ares was asking her to help his father’s mind and heart.

“When we go to the _Supremacy,_ I can’t protect him,” she told him firmly.

“I know. None of us can.” Phasma didn’t know who ‘us’ was, but she didn’t ask. 

“Why trust me?” She questioned, genuinely curious and convinced Hux was losing his mind. He scoffed.

“Don’t make me answer that Phas,” he said, somewhat begging. 

“Okay.” She took a deep breath and looked at the toddler again. “Okay.” 

They were both silent, staring at Ares. 

Children were the future. The First Order needed good children to thrive. 

And Hux needed his son to survive.

 

///

 

D’Qar was a pitiful little green planet that he wished to spit on and blow up. Starkiller was no more though, so there was no use in imagining the planet in numerous pieces by that blast.

There were other means of getting what he wanted though. 

The _Finalizer_ looked over D’Qar and Hux’s face emitted an unhealthy glow as it did. _Finally,_ he had a chance at his own redemption and revenge (could those two things go hand in hand?) 

Captain Peavey turned to Hux. “We've caught them in the middle of their evacuation.”

“I have my orders from Supreme Leader Snoke himself. This is where we snuff-out the resistance once and for all. Tell Captain Canady to prime his dreadnought. Incinerate their base, destroy their transports and obliterate their fleet,” Hux commanded, his eyes burning. He could still destroy the damn base, with or without his precious weapon. 

(Somewhere on the _Finalizer_ , Ares slept in Captain Phasma’s arms. She put him in his crib so she could return to work, but the stubborn child woke up and asked crudely for his ‘auntie.’ Phasma still didn’t know who taught Ares that word). 

“General, Resistance ship approaching. Launching shields in attack mode,” a monitoring officer told him from the bridge pit.

Incredulously, Hux asked, “A single light fighter?”

But there was a little fighter sitting there in the galaxy, bold as if it had a place amongst the stars and star destroyers. Of course, the idiotic little fighter wanted to talk to Hux specifically. Annoyed but willing, the _Finalizer_ patched the voice through. 

Commander Poe Dameron was a name Hux was familiar with given that Dameron was so vocal in the Resistance’s dealings. Hux recalled how Ren left the interrogation chamber after torturing Poe Dameron into giving him the information that would eventually cause the destruction of his precious Starkiller Base (the events, obviously, were that directly involved but Hux liked having someone to blame). 

“This is General Hux of the First Order,” Hux answered, smug but twitchy, “The Republic is no more. Your fleet are rebel scum and war criminals. Tell your precious princess there will be no terms... there will be no surrender.”

There was a lull in the conversation and the crew rose their eyebrows to each other. 

“...Hi, I'm holding for General Hugs,” Dameron said over the intercom. 

Hux’s smug smirk didn’t vanish, but he did look visibly more confused. He didn’t entirely process the nickname of “Hugs” either. He didn’t understand it, in fact, like the humorless man he was. 

“This is Hux. You and your friends are doomed! We will wipe your filth from the galaxy,” Hux asserted again. He didn’t notice how an officer younger him had her hands pressed to her forehead, unbelieving of the interaction she was listening to. 

“...OK, I'll hold.” 

“Hello?” Hux asked, too tired to notice the awkwardness and prankish nature of the conversation. 

“Hello? Yup. I'm still here,” Dameron answered again. Hux blinked blankly. He craved caf. 

He looked down at the officer on the bridge pit. “Can you.... can he hear me?” The officer nodded and Hux twitched again.

“...Hugs?”

“He can—” Hux affirmed. Someone was chewing on their gloved finger, holding their tongue but the sound was distracting to the other officers that realized Dameron was playing with Hux’s oblivious nature.

“With an 'H'. Skinny guy. Kinda pasty,” Dameron continued. 

“I can hear you. Can you hear me?”

“Look, I can't hold forever. If you reach him.... tell him Leia has an urgent message for him,” Dameron continued and Hux’s crazed face falter. His face seemed to soften yet become more stressed out. He honestly didn’t know what was going on.

He was so tired.

“I believe he's tooling with you, sir,” Captain Peavey told Hux, leaning closer to the young General. Hux refrained from letting out a sad “Oh.” 

“...About his mother,” Dameron finished. Hux felt his ears warm and suddenly he was more awake. 

 _Ouch_. Cold blow, Dameron.

“Open fire!” Hux demanded, furious and embarrassed. His mind was running with the assumption that Dameron somehow knew he was a bastard, again not understanding the sarcastic nature of the pilot (then again, was Dameron making a joke or did he know? Hux couldn’t figure it out but went with the latter).

Naturally, even the simplest of orders would be screwed over. Nothing could come easily to him, no. His firstborn didn’t come easily, his success, his admiration—

He couldn’t believe the audacity of Dameron, really. It was almost impressive how bold the pilot was but Hux merely laughed when Peavey said Dameron was going for their dreadnought. 

“Ha! He’s insane!” Hux said as if he wasn’t descending into insanity as well.

But apparently, Dameron wasn’t insane. He was just brave. Hux watched as Dameron took out parts of the _Fulminatrix'_ s cannons, cringing with a grim expression. As if anything couldn’t get worse. 

He had to shout at Captain Canady for his incompetence using a hologram. It was unbelievable, Canady couldn’t figure out Dameron’s intention to take out his cannons. 

Dameron only got bolder and Hux suspected to a point the pilot was going against General Organa’s orders. This brought Hux great pleasure to think about, even though he knew he was failing again. He had something up his sleeve that he intended to use until it killed him, and he suspected it would. 

His head hurt. He didn’t know why; perhaps it was because of the lack of sleep or his dependency on stims, but it felt like something was pushing at the back of his head, wishing to burst out of his skull. Some seconds of the day got blurry and he couldn’t think straight, but he was lucid enough to work. 

He was lucid enough to watch the _Fulminatrix_ become dust in the wake of Dameron’s bold vengeance. 

He was lucid enough to become fearful when he heard Snoke was calling for him. 

 _Fuck_ , Hux thought once Supreme Leader Snoke’s hologram appeared in front of him. He wanted to take the call in private, maybe hope that Ares’ presence would appease the leader, but no, Snoke was there to humiliate him further and Hux was visibly frightened. 

“General Hux,” Snoke said in a low tone. Hux swallowed hard. 

“Ah, good. Supreme leade-“ Before Hux could finish, he was thrown to the ground by an unknown power. Hux quickly deducted Snoke was using the Force on him from afar as he made an ugly noise once he reached the ground. His face crushed against the shiny floors, now dirtied with blood running from his nose. 

“My disappointment... in your performance can not be overstated,” Snoke bellowed. Hux shivered. Only Hux heard what Snoke said after as the Supreme Leader’s voice rang in his head. “ _If you cannot handle being a General, then clearly I doubt you will handle being a father to my new powerful apprentice. Here I thought you were capable.”_

 _No, I am worthy!_ Hux said in his head, unsure if Snoke could hear him. Some officers pretended not to see. Hux gasped and got up slowly but stayed on his knees, angry, yet submissive. 

“They can't get away, Supreme Leader. We have them tied on the end of a string,” Hux assured, ignoring his bloody nose. He clenched his hands against the floor.

(Something was calling him, ripping at the back of his head— he wanted to scream and snarl like a rabid animal—)

It was Hux’s secret little weapon. He would never be caught useless. Hux was determined to never lose his worth, even if he thought himself as worthless. His mind was still intact and as long as his smarts stayed, he could continue on. 

 

///

 

It ended up with Hux on the _Supremacy_ with Ares tucked away safely where not even Ren would find or suspect. He was a bit smug (his mind still unwinding rapidly) as he stood in front of his Supreme Leader. 

He didn’t even notice as Ren walked in. 

“Tied to a string, indeed, General Hux. Well done. The Resistance will soon be in our grasp!” Snoke praised as Ren entered. If Hux could, he’d clasps his hands together like a happy school girl whose father gifted her with a present she begged for. 

“Thank you, Supreme Leader,” Hux said sincerely. If Snoke noticed how Hux was twitching internally, he said nothing of it. 

As Hux turned to leave, he faced Ren with Snoke’s praising voice still following behind him. Snoke said to Ren, “You wonder why I keep a rabid cur in a such a place of power? The cur's weakness, properly manipulated… Can be a sharp tool.” Ren cringed under his masked, wishing he could throw Hux into the wall. If Hux had any reservations about his leader openly admitting to manipulating him and viewing him as a pet of sorts, Hux didn't seem to care. Hux left and Snoke continued. “How's your wound?” 

“It’s nothing,” Ren said plainly, still reeling from seeing Hux’s damned face. He would be lying if he didn’t say he was slightly concerned for Hux’s well-being. The General looked… off. His beauty seemed to have left him and he was looking ill. Ren wondered if the General was eating or sleeping, recalling back to when Hux had collapsed when Ren was away, but Ren’s thoughts of the General were quickly released with his need for self-preservation and assurance to his Master that he was _fine._

“Hmm. The mighty Kylo Ren. When I found you... I saw what all masters live to see. Raw, untamed power. And beyond that, something truly special. The potential of your bloodline. A new Vader,” Snoke said with pride, but then his voice became softer, less impressed. “Now I fear... I was mistaken.”

Ren sharply looked up to Snoke, refusing his Master’s rejection. “I've given everything I have to you. To the dark side.”

It was a lie of sorts. Part of his motivation had to do with Ares, but he figured that by giving his all to Ares he was also giving it to Snoke seeing that his son’s fate was linked to the satisfaction of his Master.

Snarling, Snoke demanded, “Take that ridiculous thing off.”

And Ren did, slowly and somewhat ashamed. Without his mask, Snoke could plainly see the boyish expressions painted across Ren’s maimed face: his sorrow, his fury, his annoyance and dissatisfaction, his longing—

“Yes, there it is. You have too much of your father's heart in you, young Solo,” Snoke said. 

“I killed Han Solo. When the moment came, I didn't hesitate!” Ren insisted but his Masted would not fall for his words. He couldn’t manipulate someone stronger than him, he could only take after his Master’s teachings. 

“And look at you, the deed split your spirit to the bone. You were unbalanced... Bested by a girl who had never held a lightsaber! You failed!” Snoke announced. 

Infuriated and uncontrolled, Ren jumped up but Snoke quickly shot him down with his force lightning, sending his apprentice to the ground harshly. Ren gasped and collected himself, sensing no real damage but still taken aback by the use of lightning. 

Snoke rarely used his force lightning and Ren had only remembered seeing Snoke use it on two occasions: to help him destroy Luke’s Jedi school from afar and on Arla Ren when she was first being introduced to the Knights (the petulant girl kept sticking her nose in things where it didn’t belong. She threw a fit and Snoke struck her down but then blamed Ren for giving her his personality. Ren didn’t speak to her for months after). 

“Skywalker lives,” Snoke reminded him. Ren felt his body tremble, his rage only building. It had nowhere to go for the time being. “The seed of the Jedi Order lives. As long as it does, hope lives in the galaxy. I thought you would be the one to snuff it out. Alas, you're no Vader. You're just a child in a mask.”

With that, Ren was sent away like a guilty dog. The Knight of Ren went into the elevator, the lights of it agitating him further. He let out a sharp breath, thinking back to Snoke’s words and his powers, thinking back to Hux’s smug smile, thinking back to that stupid, _stupid_ girl—

He turned to his mask, regarding it carefully. 

Ren took his mask and started smashing it into the elevator, partly yelling to himself and partly trying to keep any noise in. He watched as the helmet broke into pieces and felt as the bones in his hands ached for him to stop. 

When he left the elevator, he shouted: “Prepare my ship!” To the nearest officers and headed off, knowing that he was more powerful than all of them. 

 

///

 

Ren’s custom TIE fighter whirled weaved through space, telling the others to follow his lead.

He was determined and ruthless, knowing there was the pressure of others watching him on his back. He could feel Hux’s eyes watch where his fighter went meticulously. He was sure Hux would be agitated if he destroyed the fighter that Hux himself designed for Ren. Sure, Ren would be dead if his fighter blew to pieces but Hux definitely would mourn the fact his craftsmanship was wasted. The TIE fighter was supposed to be a sort of peace treaty between the two of them, but Hux and Ren found that their grievances towards one another didn’t vanish. 

Ren was rather good at blasting ships and taking out any essentials that would render the ship useless. It was almost like a fun game for him, though he didn’t smile through it. He also spun, which at that point he didn’t even think he was showing off. He was too serious in taking out the rebel ship to notice what exactly he was doing. 

Ren blasted into the docking bay of the rebel ship mercilessly, not caring for the lives he just ended (he wasn’t aware that Poe Dameron was there and had miraculously lived. Pity, really, for Ren not to get rid of him). 

The shields of Leia’s ship pissed Ren off to no end. He wanted to blast it to pieces and watch it burn.

Then he felt a warm presence in the Force call for him. It was familiar, and he knew immediately Leia was contacting him.

His lips parted as he felt Leia’s presence. It was the same presence he felt when he was a boy (it was kind, it was worried, but it was still angry above all else). 

Ren put his finger on the trigger. 

He could’ve killed her. He could’ve killed them all.

 _You’re a grandmother_ Ren wanted to say but didn’t. 

Instead, he released the trigger. He let out a sigh.

But then he jumped, startled as his supporting TIE fighters came passed him and blew the ship up for him. 

He watched, stoic and wondering. He turned his ship around and continued his flight, but not before a little hologram popped up to warn him. 

“Ren, the Resistance have pulled out of reach. We can't cover you at this distance. Return to the fleet,” Hux instructed him. Frustrated, Ren grunted but kept himself from cursing. He disliked Hux bossing him but knew the General was right to tell him to come back.

He felt done for the day anyway. He didn’t want to really process what happened. 

He rather go see his son.

 

/// 

 

The scavenger somehow found him, but not physically. It was through the Force. He tried to manipulate her into bringing Skywalker over but, no, this was different. She wasn’t really doing it either they just… found one another, which made Ren suspicious.

And of course, the damn girl’s first reaction was to try to blast him through the Force. He felt it, but it didn’t work. He was surprised by this new… Force trick. 

Nothing came of it other than the seeds of doubt he began to plant in her mind. 

She was angry but confused; she didn’t know about the galaxy and that ignorance was useful for Ren.

And one by one, hour by hour, he’d get her and the rest of her posse to submit. 

 

///

 

She called him a monster, but he wasn’t deterred. He knew she was scared. She was still perplexed by it all. But she also had an empathetic heart, the same heart that yearned for Han Solo to see her as his daughter—

 _Don’t think of that_! He demanded of himself. Around her though, he was calm, cool, and cruel because she didn’t know any better of who he was. 

She thought of him as childish, but he knew he was more experienced than her. 

The scavenger left him with raindrops in his hand. 

 _Interesting_. If he was a snake, then he’d wrap his scales around her and squeeze until she popped. 

 

///

 

“Why did you... Why did you kill him? I don't understand,” the scavenger asked him, distressed. He could be honest, but he also needed her to pity him. 

He couldn’t tell her about Ares and Hux, that would be pathetically stupid of him. He couldn’t say “hey scavenger, my destiny lies in the future with people I can control or make my own,” it didn’t sound right. She was more concerned with her own loneliness and her need to make a connection as Skywalker began to reject her. He knew Luke would, the man was too afraid of failing again. 

Loneliness was a useful tool, Ren realized. He felt lonely too, but he knew at least even without her, he had something to look for. 

He still didn’t entirely understand their connection though. She felt familiar as if Han Solo had left a piece of his soul in her. He wanted to get rid of it desperately. 

They touched hands through the Force and it was strange. It was curious. Her heart was filled with emotion but he was empty (but she couldn’t tell). 

The connection was gone and he glared at the wall. 

But he knew he already won. She was too young to know what she was up against.

 

///

 

She came to him, willingly. He didn’t react, not strongly. She didn’t know, but he already had a plan in mind. 

The girl— _Rey_ — had uses. She was strong with the Force. He wanted to train her. He pretended that her connection to Han Solo had nothing to do with it like he wasn’t coping. He still hated her in his own special way; she had caused his embarrassment and would endanger his future if he couldn’t control her.

Rey had her own ideas of who Ren was though. 

 _Ben_ is what she called her and he tried everything in his power not to cringe at her. He knew she was trying to appeal to the light in him since she knew his conflict, but the name pissed him off. Even if she wanted to see the good Ben could’ve been, it didn’t matter. It seemed that many people, even his own father, failed to recognize him and Ben as one and the same. Sure, he attributed Ben Solo to everything weak and stupid he used to be and Kylo Ren to who he really wanted to be, but he wasn’t a different person physically. 

He had always been Kylo Ren, with or without Snoke. He had chosen the name when he was a child, in fact, but thought it was too embarrassing to share with anyone but Snoke. 

At least the cursed Supreme Leader had respect to call him by his damned _name_. At least Hux called him Kylo when he was mad. For a girl trying to will him back to the light, she was making him grind his teeth. 

While she tried to pull him to the light, Ren was trying to pull her to the dark side. She’d be more useful there, amongst his Knights. Their connection (whatever it was) was optimal for his powers, though he suspected that the other Knights would detest her at first. 

He didn’t think of it as replacing Iliad Ren, he thought of it as a new beginning. 

Maybe that’s what he needed, to rid of all the old knights like Vio and Nykita and replace them with an entirely new staff. He trusted the older Knights, but it seemed like everything from the past was holding him back. He’d have everything from his past consign to oblivion. He’d have his son and Hux if Hux was smart enough to stand with him, and Rey as a new Knight (though he didn’t yet find her honorable enough to be a true Knight, it would take a lot of training). Maybe Arla would even like her, they were about the same age—

Rey didn’t see it, but Ren shook his head as he got himself out of his deep thoughts. He wondered why he was daydreaming when he was leading Rey to the lion’s den. She was speaking to him, but he wasn’t really listening or falling for her hopeful eyes. 

But Ren and Rey quickly learned about how Snoke manipulated them both. To some extent, Ren knew Snoke was playing with him; the alien had been in his mind for far too long to not devise a plan. 

Still, Ren squirmed. Something inside of him was building. 

He still had a plan too.

Somewhere, a toddler also squirmed uncomfortably and peaked his head beyond his crib, asking for either of his dads to return. 

 

///

 

Hux was still being humiliated, despite all of his intelligence. He captured the traitor (was the man going by what— Finn now?) and his angry, girlish companion that had no restraint to bite him as she mocked her. He usually wouldn’t be so careless and smug, but he felt out of place. 

(Something was pulling at the back of his head still). 

The girl and traitor pleaded for the Order not to fire upon their friends but Hux was done. He was done playing their game. He was done playing everyone’s game.

Something was hiding his destiny and he knew it was at the hands of the rebel scum. 

He’d be merciless. 

He’d be a good father. 

He wondered where Ren was. 

 

///

 

Rey cried internally at the idea of losing the Resistance. She pleaded for Ben (again with the useless, horrid name) to help her and Snoke practically laughed in her face. 

He remained unmoved by either of them. 

Her pleads were somehow familiar despite everything. 

And when Snoke’s pride got the best of him, Ren took his chance to destroy it all. With one swift move, Snoke was dead and Rey and he were battling side by side against Snoke’s red guards.

It was exhilarating to destroy them one by one and feel their lives die by his hand. He was thirsty for their blood, not really thinking about self-defense and more considering how many lives he could take. None of them could live; they couldn’t find out what he had done.

And when it was all over and done with, they were both panting and tired. Rey still had the care in her to rush over to the oracle to watch her rebel ship be fired upon. 

“Ben! The fleet. Order them to stop firing. There's still time to save the fleet,” she said hopefully. He didn’t move. His eye twitched. He still felt thirsty for blood. “Ben?”

“It's time to let old things die. Snoke, Skywalker. The Sith, the Jedi, the Rebels... let it all die.” She was already crying again. “Rey. I want you to join me.” She jolted, shocked. “We can rule together and bring a new order to the galaxy.”

“Don't do this, Ben. Please don't go this way,” she cried, her voice nasally. He clenched his entire body. 

Was she an _idiot_? 

He was offering her power and a chance at a life with purpose and she still had the audacity to think she was on some noble mission to, what, help him? Was she a fool? Why did she think this was her purpose? He didn’t really care that much about her for her to care about him back. There was still a force connection between them, but it had changed. It was familiar but distant and cold like a memory you wanted to forget. 

“No, no. You're still holding on! Let go!” He demanded of her and she flinched. 

He kept trying, trying to push her over the edge. Telling her about her parents and how they thought she wasn’t worth a single credit. 

She didn’t know if he was lying, but Ren was beginning to know the truth. 

“You have no place in this story. You come from nothing. You're nothing. But not to me. Join me. Please.” He was almost begging, but only because he was desperate not to be wrong. Loneliness did strange things to Ren, he had grown too accustomed to looking forward to seeing his son, to perhaps arguing with Hux, to being with his Knights that he didn’t realize that he was lonely enough to ask for another person to give him the attention he craved. Hux was cold to him, his Knights were far away, and his son was hidden from him. 

She was nothing, useless with no purpose, so he didn’t understand why she wouldn’t just listen to him. He had done this before, so why was this girl so resilient? Why couldn’t she just give up? 

He partly knew the answer. It was because she had people who cared about her, waiting for her on that ship he wanted to blow to pieces. 

But instead, she screamed and fought back, unwittingly to submit to his cruel words. 

She howled like an angry wolf, and so did the ship around him. 

He swore he heard the crying of a child as he blacked out. 

 

/// 

 

When Ren came too, it was because he sensed danger. He woke up with a loud gasp, feeling sharp particles around him and the heat of a fire. 

He saw Hux out of the corner of his eye, his hair still matted to his head solidly and his face as pale as ever. The General was positively furious.

“What happened?” Hux demanded, clenching his fist at his side. 

“The girl murdered Snoke. What happened?” Ren said assertively, rising up off the ground. His hair was sweaty and he wanted to get out of his clothes and off the ship. There was still work to do. 

“She took Snoke's escape craft,” Hux told him, eyeing him suspiciously. They both looked at each other with disgust, knowing of each other’s shortcomings. He knew Hux didn’t believe his story for one second but wasn’t going to force him to believe it. 

Hux was more offended that Ren didn’t even have the brain cells to ask where _his_ son was. For a man who was insistent that their son was the basis for their survival and galactic conquest, Hux thought Ren seemed to regard Ares with almost little actual concern. He was all talk.

“We know where she's going. Get all our forces down to that Resistance base. Let's finish this,” Ren instructed. 

Hux lowered his eyebrows and his fists were shaking by his side. 

“Finish this? Who do you think you're talking to? You presumed to command my army? Our Supreme Leader is dead! We have no ruler!—” Hux shouted until he could shout no more. 

Ren had his hand out, squeezing Hux’s neck with the Force. Hux gargled painfully, looking for something to grab onto but finding nothing. Ren’s eyes were wild with wrath and dominance. He had a long day and wasn’t going to make Hux make his day even _longer_. 

Hux looked extra ugly as he choked. His neck scrunched up revealing some neck fat, as most people had, and his lips looked fat and purple. 

“The Supreme Leader is dead,” Ren asserted very carefully. 

“Long live the Supreme Leader,” Hux let out carefully. Ren decided not to kill him. 

 

///

 

Crait was a failure, and to call Ren his _Supreme Leader_ left a disgusting taste on Hux’s mouth. 

Hux suspected that perhaps Ren and he could’ve been great leaders together but Ren was too self-absorbed to consider any other orders and Hux was too worried about losing his power to realize when he was being ridiculous.

And Ren abused him. Again. He threw him into a console like it was nothing, too infatuated with the idea of killing Skywalker. 

He was insane, Hux concluded, firing upon Skywalker with all their cannons. Hux had to yell at them to stop since Ren was so enthralled by his use of power and his obsessiveness to destroy the man. Hux didn’t even think killing Skywalker specifically wasn’t even worth it anymore. 

He just wanted to rest. 

Ren screamed at Skywalker, thinking that, like Rey, Luke was going to plead to his ‘humanity.’ But Luke didn’t. Instead, they fought and Hux watched, already plotting his next steps.

His ribs hurt. 

When they stormed Crait and found nothing, Hux glared daggers into the back of Ren’s skull.

But he was patient. He had to be. 

If Ren wasn’t going to think about Ares, Hux was, which left Hux with an uncomfortable realization: Snoke wasn’t going to take Ares if he was dead. He was almost joyous as they all awkwardly took a shuttle back to the _Finalizer_. But his joy quickly turned to fear as he realized Ren was fully unhinged now. What was to come of his son?

Hux didn’t know and, quite frankly, he was scared. 

Whatever love Ren had for Ares was gone, Hux assumed. The man was too far gone in his obsession. He knew Ren had convened with that scavenger girl in some way. He thought Ren rather have some Resistance members under his foot dead or kissing his boot rather than have what he already did.

Hux knew his time was running short. Ren didn’t know where Ares was but that night, once he felt Ren’s powerful presence leave him, he laid with his son next to him and watched him carefully. Ares squirmed, noticing his father's sad eyes and his pained expression. 

Ares was oblivious. And Hux was thinking. 

Hux let out a sob. Ares just watched, worried about his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kick his ass rey!! u go girl. yeah so rip phasma f in chat boys. btw, when ren is talking about how he hates being called "Ben Solo" it's an actual canon fact: in the Rise of Kylo Ren, a younger Kylo discusses with Snoke how he wants to be called Kylo and dislikes his name, but is embarrassed that he had the name Kylo picked out since he was a child.
> 
> im sorry y'all really had to sit through a retelling of TLJ. this fanfic will not contain TROS but im thinking of taking inspiration from it, such as characters (like Pryde). hopefully i managed to spice TLJ for u all. I firmly believe that Kylo is presented as really manipulative and while his anger, childishness, & impatience gets in his way, he's actually pretty intelligent which is why he knows how to prey on Rey. don't worry tho, the trio will bounce back eventually...
> 
> leave a comment <3
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Follow me on Twitter for literal garbage [@truemoongoddess](https://twitter.com/truemoongoddess)


	26. Hail to the Leader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! Here's some kylux angst lmao. My schedule is busying so sorry for the slower updates! So now we are in post TLJ territory and while I will be borrowing ideas from TROS, it won't follow the plotline. 
> 
> Enjoy! Leave a comment and a kudos <3
> 
> cw: implied/referenced panic attacks / PTSD / seizures, unhealthy power dynamics, referenced abuse

The death toll was inconvenient, to say the least. If the number of deaths didn't lower morale, Ren's new leadership role surely did. 

Ren’s rise to becoming the Supreme Leader was quickly accepted by the First Order. Who was to argue with a more aggressive force user who was actively seen walking through the Order? But with being the leader came responsibilities Ren wasn’t ready for. 

There was the issue of how he was going to announce his rise to power, though many in the First Order already knew that Kylo Ren was sitting on the throne. There was also the issue of the physical throne. He needed one; he wanted one. The  _ Supremacy  _ was too damaged to fix and Ren desired a place to sit and stare down on others. Granted, he wished to be more active than Snoke was but he still needed an air of regency floating around him. 

He demanded to go immediately after the Resistance, but a few brave voices, including Lieutenant Mitaka, delicately told him it wasn’t wise and that they should reconvene and recover; the Resistance was no threat since there were so few of them. 

Ren thought it was odd he hadn’t heard any of these worries or suggestions from General Hux. He would’ve thought that Hux would be the first one to tell him that he had worms in his brain for even thinking of chasing after the meager Resistance. But no, the General was rarely seen the few days after Crait. Ren even checked his schedule; it said Hux had the bridge but when Ren would come to check, he wouldn’t be there. The officers would say he was there and just happened to step out for a moment when Ren came, and he didn’t sense they were lying. 

Ren fretted about the General; he needed to keep Hux close knowing that the man most likely was already trying to devise a plan for his assassination. He needed to keep his enemies close and Hux was number one on his list. 

Supreme Leader Kylo Ren scheduled a meeting on the  _ Finalizer  _ for all his top officers to attend. He thought it would be good for everyone to realize that they were serving him, and it would force General Hux to see him. He had also already assigned new officers to replace ones that had perished. 

When Ren strode into the meeting room, everyone was already sitting there waiting, as stiff as boards. Hux had the unfortunate seat of being to Ren’s left because Ren, obviously, wanted to sit at the front of the table. 

Cruelly, General Pryde sat across from Hux. They both pretended they weren’t glaring at each other.

Ren almost froze when he saw Hux in the room. The man still looked ill, but his over attractiveness had slightly improved from Crait. It was obvious that Hux was stressed out still, even with his serious face. 

“The heavy tolls taken upon the First Order should not deter us. The scavenger girl, Rey, has killed our Supreme Leader,” Ren announced. Some officers awkwardly looked at each other. “As his apprentice, I will be taking over his position.”

“Sir, shouldn’t we—” someone began to say and then stopped. They gargled, and everyone knew Ren was choking them. Hux flinched and shut his eyes for a second, letting in an unsteady breath.

Ren released the man. “Any objections?” Nobody spoke. “Good.” He continued, “It doesn’t pass my attention that we will be needing to repair and build up, as General Hux has so  _ kindly  _ reminded me over and over again.” 

Ren looked to Hux. Hux glared at him for a moment. Ren could see the bruises Hux was hiding under the collar of his uniform. 

“It’s only logical, sir. Even if you want to chase the Resistance we still must build up our strength back,” Hux informed him. Everyone looked like they were waiting for Ren to snap.

“I think you are being quite informal, General. Try again,” Ren warned him. Hux gave Ren a sarcastic smile. 

“It’s only logical,  _ Supreme Leader _ ,” Hux articulated his tone in between cruel and flirtatious (or maybe Ren was just imagining it). It sent shivers down Ren’s spine. 

Ren turned back to the anxious officers. “Another thing. I’d like to appoint General Engell to take over a portion of General Hux’s and Captain Phasma’s stormtrooper training program. It is confirmed that Captain Phasma is deceased, so General Engell will oversee what the Captain once did.”

The blonde woman perked up. She was older than Ren and wrinkled, but she brightly took the opportunity. Ren knew the woman respected his fearsome power so he trusted her not to backstab him. Like Phasma, General Engell also had a cruel streak in her.

Ren tried to ignore the sorrowful energy that rolled off Hux. Ren glanced at Hux, seeing that the General’s face remained passive, a little bored even. 

“Yes, Supreme Leader. It would be my honor,” General Engell said proudly. He nodded at her. 

The conversation carried on, though Ren held most of it. He knew the officers were still uncomfortable with his presence, not that he cared; he just needed them to listen. He wanted to be sure they weren’t going to go against him. 

He was concerned about Allegiant General Pryde being in the room. The man’s ship, the  _ Steadfast _ , was nearby just so they could convene. He didn’t like Pryde’s strange title. He technically was a rank higher than General, but only so he could watch over the younger Generals like Hux. Ren half thought to force Hux to be on the  _ Steadfast _  so Pryde could babysit him, but then scrapped that idea quickly. He didn’t trust Pryde and it left a sour taste in his mouth to leave Hux with someone who openly beat him. 

_ Hypocrite _ , a voice in Ren’s head said. 

“We will salvage what we can from the  _ Supremacy  _ but I already have a ship commissioned from a few standard years back. It should be completed by now. It will house my throne and our central communications. While the ship could be a warship, it’s made more for defense and holding our most vital information and operations,” Ren explained, shooting Hux a strange look. Hux sighed. “General Hux, I’d like you to accompany me on this ship. You helped with its designs and advocated for it, so it is best if I transport you there.”

Hux straightened, squeezing his hands in his lap. The two men stared at each other quietly for a good minute, making everyone nervous. Ren didn’t know why Hux was so silent; they both agreed in the past that a new ship was needed to better accommodate Ares. 

Ren already had it all planned out too. He was a part of the making of the schematics, though Hux did most of the heavy lifting. The journey to get to their shared private chambers was a fortress. Even if the ship blew to pieces, their chambers would most likely survive. The chambers were big enough for Ares to feel like he wasn’t trapped. Ren had received holos of his bulky throne that he recently ordered too. It was a perfect room for his Knights to stand in and act as his personal guard. Ren remembered he also wanted to talk to General Engell about some new legions of stormtroopers that would fit his agenda and personal needs.

“...you want me to leave the  _ Finalizer _ ?” Hux questioned, raising an eyebrow. Ren stiffened, not expecting Hux to refuse his offer. 

“That would be preferable,” Ren said patiently, “the  _ Finalizer  _ doesn’t need you anymore. It will be someone else’s burden. You will be relocated onto our new ship: The  _ Vanguard _ .” 

“This is  _ my _  ship, Ren!” Hux said more assertively, his voice rising. Everyone was silent; some mouths were gaping at Hux’s clear defiance of Ren. “Like hells I’ll let some fool command her.” 

“Everybody out,” Ren said. When nobody moved, he shouted the order again, “Out! Now! Return to your ships and stations and set a course to the planet Kalypso so we can retrieve the  _ Vanguard _ !” 

Everyone dispersed quickly. Allegiant General Pryde gave Hux another quick, conceded glare before leaving. Hux and Ren were finally alone. They were without the pressure of anyone watching them and, more specifically, Ren knew he could get away with treating Hux however he wanted now that Snoke was gone. 

He got close to Hux’s glare but the General didn’t budge. 

“Why do you openly defy me? I’m giving you a new ship to help me command and you are acting ungrateful! I could’ve punished you in front of everyone but didn’t!” Ren told him, jutting an accusing finger at Hux. Hux turned sharply and pushed Ren’s finger out of his face.

“What, I’m supposed to be grateful that you didn’t violate me again?” Hux fumed. “You’re delusional! I know you only want to put me on that new ship so you can keep me on a leash.”

“I wouldn’t have to keep you on a short leash if you’d stop being a rabid cur!” Ren said, flinching at his own words. He didn’t want to be like Snoke, but he couldn’t think of Hux of anything else than an animal at the moment. Hux scoffed. 

“Your fake generosity won’t erase what you’ve done. Even if that ship was to be mine, I will not rule by your side or under your thumb!” He was beginning to sound like Rey and it made Ren lose his self-control slightly. Ren raised his hand near Hux’s neck and the General immediately shut up and shut his eyes, letting in a nervous breath.

Ren put his hand down, seeing how Hux reacted so poorly. Hux gasped despite still being able to breathe, looking down at the table with his hands still trembling near his neck.

Then Hux began to hyperventilate. His breathing was coarse and painful to listen to and Ren could see how Hux’s chest trembled. He realized that his General was panicking, but he didn’t know if it was exactly a panic attack or not. 

“Hux, breathe,” Ren tried to coax calmly. As angry as he was with the General, he couldn’t have Hux rendered trembling and useless. It did pain him to watch Hux fall apart so easily, but Ren’s brain didn’t exactly take the blame for being the one to cause Hux his trauma. 

Hux still wasn’t breathing right and Ren squatted down, gently putting his hand on Hux’s shoulder. Hux’s eyes widened and he shot out of his chair, stumbling and his bottom hitting the floor hard. 

“Don’t!” he warned Ren in a rough voice. Ren put his hands up near his chest, showing innocence. Hux unbuttoned the top button of his collar, revealing more of his bruised neck. It let him breathe but Ren began to feel uncomfortable with the sight of his handy work. The bruises were healing fine, but it was a depressing sight.

Once Hux calmed down, Ren tried again. “I’m not trying to upset you. You know why we need to live on the  _ Vanguard _ . It’s better for Ares.” 

“What, do you now care about Ares?” Hux accused, his tone trembling and upset. Ren tilted his head, perplexed why the General was dismayed. He genuinely didn’t understand the question. Everything he did was partly for Ares. 

Ren blinked. “What?” 

“You don’t care about our son! You are just doing all of this for yourself, pretending to have a noble cause! I know you killed the Supreme Leader!” Hux got up slowly, now feeling bold. His bitterness overcame his fear of Ren killing him. Ren lowered his eyebrows. 

“The girl—”

“Don’t lie, I’m no idiot! Bested by one girl? Ha! I know you been talking to her, luring her here,  _ obsessing _  over some stupid force user! Why? Because your mother likes her? Because your father went to some strangers before he went to you? No, you rather go after some youthful, doe-eyed nobody! And you always were so concerned about who  _ I  _ was spending my time with!” 

Ren sort of realized what Hux was accusing him of. He clenched his fist. “It’s not like that!” Ren insisted but Hux rolled his eyes. “You wouldn’t understand. We had a force connection, she was meant to be by my side as one of my Knights! The galaxy is better off with useful tools on my side.”

“And look where your delusion brought you, Ren,” Hux said in a low voice. “You have destroyed our ship and let them escape. You were so distracted with  _ her  _ that you’ve forgotten who you are and where you are. Stop  _ pretending  _ as if you care about anyone but yourself and your agenda. It’s unfitting! Even that girl who you must’ve manipulated into thinking you were worthy of anything but being a vile creature left you behind!” 

“I am the Supreme Leader!” Ren shouted, getting close to Hux’s face once again. Hux swallowed but held his ground.“I command this army and this galaxy. It was that scavenger’s mistake to not join me, and it will be your mistake to follow in her footsteps!” 

Ren was breathing heavily now, huffing through his nostrils. Hux’s blue-green eyes were colder than usual. 

“And it would be a mistake to trust that you won’t kill me. Perhaps it will not be on purpose, but you will,” Hux told him. 

Strangely, Hux reached up and touched Ren’s face. Ren felt a strange spark go through his scar then spiral throughout his body. He didn’t understand Hux’s intentions; maybe the General was trying to subdue him to kill him. Ren wondered if Hux still had a dagger up his sleeve. 

He hated how easily he could fall for Hux’s gentle hands. He didn’t even think Hux was trying to manipulate him. 

Suddenly, a vision flashed through Ren’s mind. It was a vision he had before, long ago, before Ares was born. It took him a moment to recall that he knew the scene. It was of Hux, looking up to the ceiling of wherever he was and watching it crumble on top of him. The General’s eyes were starry. 

Ren heard a baby cry.  _ Ares _ , he wanted to say. He snapped back to reality. Hux slowly removed his hand from Ren’s face but Ren grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Hux flinched but didn’t pull away. 

“Why are you doing this to me, Armitage?” Ren agonized. 

Hux cringed. “Don’t call me Armitage.”

“I’m  _ trying  _ to make things better. I’m giving you a star destroyer. I’m giving Ares a new place to live where nobody will hurt him. I will crush the galaxy and the Order will rule, so why won’t you let me?” Ren lamented. As Ren began to crush Hux’s fingers in his grip, Hux pulled away. 

“Tell me how hurting me will make anything better. You fail to see how many times you said ' _ I'  _ in those sentences. I will not be your consort, your punching bag, or your broodmare to raise Ares,” Hux told him firmly. Hux looked to the floor. “...it’s not that I don’t want to get along. But I don’t think I can trust you. I-I can’t make things better. Not yet.”

Ren wondered why Hux thought  _ he  _ had to make things better. Sure, Ren was irritated with Hux but he didn’t Hux had royally fucked everything up between them. He wanted Hux by his side, but perhaps Hux thought his words were meaningless. 

“Where’s Ares?” Ren asked. Hux sighed and began to walk away. 

“I have to work, we can talk later,” Hux told him, but Ren’s patience began dwindling again. 

“Hux!” Ren demanded, but Hux was already out the door. Ren didn’t chase after him. 

Ren grit his teeth and clenched his fist. A few chairs in the room fell over violently, scratching up Hux’s precious, pristine floor. 

He wanted to convince Hux to let him in again. They were finally without a Master to serve; they were free yet Hux still wouldn’t give himself to Ren. Ren still recalled Hux’s soft touches that were evidence of his longing. He just had touched his face and to what, calm him? No, Ren wasn’t convinced Hux’s affections for him had vanished. 

He couldn’t convince Rey to join him, but he couldn’t stand it if Hux wouldn’t be by his side. Rey was a petulant little girl with powers she couldn’t imagine but Hux was a powerful man with a heart solid yet warm. He wouldn’t lose Hux. He wouldn’t lose Ares.

It’s what he wanted more than his crown. 

Ren called for the Knights of Ren. If they had any objections to Snoke’s death, they didn’t voice them. He needed his Knights to impose his rule. He also didn’t want to be alone, not if he didn’t have to be. 

 

///

 

Hux had a raging headache but he stubbornly tried to ignore it. The other Generals had left to return to their ships and Hux was relieved. He didn’t want to see Pryde and he sort of liked the aspect of them thinking Ren had killed him for his insubordination. It would give him more time to control the Order without their scrutiny. 

Still, with Ren as their leader Hux didn’t imagine the Order staying on a steady course. The man was a maniac: bloodthirsty and selfish beyond belief. Hux truly attributed much of the Order’s failures and tribulations to the fact that Ren had acted out of his self-interest and wasn’t using his powers usefully. Even now, Hux couldn’t imagine Ren being a good leader. The General could only picture the increase in his workload now that Ren was in charge. 

The only positive side so far was that Ren hadn’t killed him yet and still seemed to be attracted to him.  _ Good _ . It would keep Hux’s head on his neck a little longer, but Hux also knew that if he didn’t offer Ren any emotional support, Ren would snap at him again and again. 

He kept seeing spotty red dots floating around in his vision, like when you stared directly into a light and then looked about. Hux rubbed his temples and huffed. He caught Lieutenant Mitaka staring at him with obvious concern in his eyes and squinted his eyes into slits towards the Lieutenant, warning him to stay out of it. 

By the time his shift was over and his meetings were done, he nearly collapsed on his bed. But Ares was cranky again, whining for Hux’s attention. His chambers hadn’t been broken into by Ren during the day, that much Hux could tell, yet he kept thinking about how Ren kept saying he was doing everything for Ares yet never came to see him. Hux may have changed the code into his chambers, but he was sure it wasn’t going to deter the Knight if he tried. 

Ares pulled at Hux’s leg as Hux sat over the edge of his bed, clenching his datapad and holding his head. He looked down at his toddler who pouted his lip at his father. He made the same face Ren made when he was pretending to be remorseful. 

Hux sighed and put his datapad assigned and pulled Ares up into his lap. The toddler leaned into Hux’s chest, babbling quietly to himself and clinging to Hux’s shirt.

“What’s wrong?” Hux asked, his voice sweet. He’d only make his voice sweeter for his son, and he rarely ever made any tones close to ‘baby talk.’ 

“Sleepy?” Ares asked Hux, putting his thumb near his mouth. Hux gently pulled Ares’ thumb away from his mouth so the toddler wouldn’t get into the bad habit of sucking it and later ruining his teeth. 

Hux let out a gentle sigh. At least Ares was trying to get him to relax, ironically. His son was the only one who seemed to slightly care about how he felt, even though children were entirely dependent on their parents. 

Hux changed Ares into his pajamas and then did the same. He put Ares in between two pillows on his bed. He wasn’t really worried about Ares rolling off or him squishing Ares in his sleep, but it brought Hux comfort to think there something protecting Ares on the other side of the bed. 

Ares let out a yawn and put his head on the pillow between him and his father. Hux gently pushed a piece of hair out of Ares' face then shut his eyes. For once, he didn’t let the gravity of the day hold him down. 

Hux was out like a light and was still as a corpse in his sleep. In his dreams, he chased a floating red light that called and beckoned for him. It reminded him of Starkiller’s core and the blast of his powerful weapon. 

In his dream, he stumbled and felt something grab at his back, preventing him from falling. He turned around to see Ren there, masked and mysterious. Hux grimaced at Kylo Ren, gritting his teeth.

“Do you ever leave me alone?” Hux asked. Around them, rain fell but didn’t feel it dripping against his skin. His vision did occasionally falter.

“My son—” Ren began, though his voice sounded strange.

“He’s fine,” Hux asserted. The red light was still floating near Hux almost like a curious pet. Ren seemed to look at the light. “He throws fewer tantrums when you aren’t around.” 

“You’re wrong about me,” Ren said.

“Oh?”

“I do care about my son. And I do want the best to come to you. To… us,” Ren said delicately. Hux looked away from him. 

Ren suddenly reached out and Hux thought he was reaching for his neck. Hux gasped but the red stream of light shot itself at Ren like a blaster bolt and the scene vanished around him. 

Hux looked around, slightly panicked. He felt his throat closing again and held his head. Could someone feel pain in a dream? He could. He gasped and whined and the galaxy spun around him. It was a nightmare, what was happening? He couldn’t comprehend the feeling—

_ Wake up, Starlight.  _

Hux’s eyes snapped open and he sat up abruptly. He looked around in panic then calmed once he saw Ares’ little body sleeping safely next to him. The toddler stirred and whined, disliking being woken up abruptly. Hux sighed and watched as the toddler maneuvered over the pillow between him and Hux and climbed back into his lap to sleep. Hux rubbed Ares’ head, wondering why his head was in such a disoriented state. 

The General felt pain in the back of his head and cringed, holding his forehead for a moment. The pain felt like it was spreading to his neck. Ares wiggled in his arms, trying to get his father to relax so he could sleep again. Hux took a painkiller and went back to sleep until his shift. 

The day shift didn’t prove to be any easier.

The lights of the consoles seemed brighter than usual and Hux did his best not to look out the windows; some of the passing suns were too painful for his eyes. Despite his ailments, he remained calm and cool. The officers worked diligently through these trying times and didn’t so much as blink in the direction of their General. He was concerned that the officers were either worried about what would happen to their General or that they thought that Hux didn’t have any power over Ren anymore. 

Hux fretted over the same thing, honestly. He didn’t know Ren’s intentions rather than to find the Resistance. Ren wanted to hurt him, yet he wanted to keep him close. Did being in control of an abusive pseudo-relationship satisfy Ren? Hux didn’t understand him at all. 

When the General was allowed a break, he finally convinced himself he’d eat something and chug some water to hopefully lessen the effects of his head pains. He should’ve been going to the medbay, he figured, but he didn’t want those doctors and droids to restrain him and keep him out of work. The medbay was already concerned with his bruises from Ren and he knew the minute Doctor Nikos looked at him she’d order for him to stop working. He couldn’t stop working though; he couldn’t seem disposable to Ren. 

He walked through the hall undisturbed until, naturally, Ren had to turn a corner and stride straight towards him. Hux held up his chin, refusing to make eye contact with the man to signify he didn’t want to talk yet. Ren didn’t care to honor Hux’s clear indication of his refusal though. 

Ren walked close to Hux and grabbed him on the shoulder so they were shoulder to shoulder (though Ren was taller than Hux). The General flinched and stiffened, looking up at Ren with menacing eyes. 

“Supreme Leader,” Hux greeted plainly. 

“And where are you off to?” Ren asked. 

“Just to have a quick meal. I haven’t eaten all day,” Hux admitted. Ren huffed and his eyes looked away from Hux and down the hall. Hux shifted his jaw, uncomfortable. 

“Good,” Ren said. Hux rose an eyebrow. “I request you to see me for a quick meeting after your entire shift is complete. In my chambers. We can have a meal and talk about your… disinterest in being relocated to the  _ Vanguard _ .”

“Why not convene in a meeting room instead?”

“Because you have been too uptight and I think to have a conversation with you, I’ll have to relax you somehow,” Ren said, judgemental and somewhat annoyed. “Having dinner together will be good for us.” 

“You act as though I don’t have a child to watch, honestly Ren.” Hux tried to shrug Ren off but the man’s grip only tightened. Hux felt his headache intensify for a moment and drew in a sharp breath. “What do you want from me? You want me to stay with Ares but are trying to lessen the amount of time I have to see him inconspicuously.” 

“You’re used to multitasking.” Ren clenched his fist. “I’m trying to be… amiable.”

Hux laughed in his face. Ren wanted to hit him but stopped himself from doing so. Hux was the last piece he needed for everything to come together. He didn’t  _ need  _ Rey, truth be told, but he needed his power over the Order and he needed Hux to stay loyal to him. 

But Hux was a sly little fox, waiting to strike while seeming passive in the process. Ren knew Hux had to be plotting something against him so he wanted to squash Hux’s will to set a trap for his new Supreme Leader; Ren preferred he convince Hux in a civil, perhaps even emotionally beneficial, way. 

“We’ll see how amiable you are when I say things that may not align with your beliefs,” Hux said, finally getting Ren to unhand him. 

“I am the Supreme Leader, my beliefs are the First Order’s beliefs,” Ren told him. 

“Yes, you keep telling me,” Hux said sharply, stalking off with tense shoulders.

“Tonight, General. I expect to see you not a minute late or there will be consequences,” Ren called after him.

“I know!” And with that, Hux turned the corner and was gone from Ren’s sight. 

Ren groaned furiously. He was trying to be patient with Hux but felt he wasn’t reaping any rewards. He assumed he’d just have to wait for their dinner to get into Hux’s head and hopefully convince him that their partnership would be extraordinarily beneficial.

He was their leader, what was better than aligning yourself with the most powerful person? Hux and he could finally raise Ares together and their united partnership would become a symbol of prosperity and power for the First Order. Not only that, but Ren was craving Hux against his skin again. He desired to mark up Hux’s milky white flesh and feel the fat of his thighs under his hands. Their sex was, arguably, great so he didn’t know why Hux didn’t want to succumb to even his lust anymore. 

The General was an enigma that Ren didn’t want to have to crack but knew he had to. He didn’t know why cracking Hux’s ribs were so easy but cracking his hard outer core was so difficult. 

Ren unclenched his fist and listened to the leather squelch. 

The Force trembled. 

 

///

 

General Hux’s interaction with Ren left a bad taste in his mouth. He didn’t know why the crazed Knight of Ren always had to seek him out just to torture him. Even after eating, Hux found that his headache didn’t subside. 

Finishing his next shift was a trial in itself. Nobody looked closely enough at him to truly notice the extent of his pain; his concealer also covered up his vanishing neck bruises. 

He caught himself anxiously scratching at his palms a few times and stopped himself, worried that any sign of weakness would immediately go to the Supreme Leader. Hux didn’t want to figure out what Ren’s version of reconditioning was. He already hated how Ren was confused with his own emotions and was using Hux as his outlet, but he didn’t also need Ren to test the extent his leadership could go. 

Once his shift was near done, he sent a quick, private message to Lieutenant Mitaka to fetch him more pain relievers. He had finished the last bottle before the second half of his shift and felt that he’d need to double his dosage; he wouldn’t try his luck with stronger medication though. 

Hux knew he was grasping at straws. He hadn’t been as in control of the First Order as he wanted to be and he knew what little authority he still had would slip away from him and into Ren’s anger fist. He knew he was smart, he was an engineer and a fighter in his core, but he didn’t know if it would be enough to show he was still worthy of leadership. Being murdered would be bad, but being undermined and treated as nothing as a weak-willed man whose only purpose was to look after Ren’s child and be a trophy for Ren to show off was somehow worse (he naturally cared very much for Ares and would always look after him, but he hated to think his worth to Ren would be strictly based on whatever homemaking skills he could provide). 

Sitting at his desk, he looked over his datapad and wondered what the finalization of the  _ Vanguard  _ would look like. While Hux spent extra close attention on its defenses, he also took the time to create a special room that was supposed to be for Ren and him. Granted, there were plenty of rooms and backup, but the thought of his naivety enraged him. He didn’t know how he could be so idiotic to think Ren and him could ever get along long enough to have a shared living space.

It was so stupid, stupid,  _ stupid _ . Foolishness felt like a rug burn in his brain; he couldn’t believe he had been so delusional to think at any point getting down on his knees for Ren (both physically and metaphorically) could prevent Ren from overcoming his selfishness.

The burn inside his head increased and his eye twitched. Ares looked up at him sharply, getting up off the floor and toddling over to his side. The toddler pulled at Hux’s pant leg and put his arms up. Ares always seemed to be asking for Hux’s attention but Hux couldn’t blame him; Hux was his sun and Ares revolved around him like a planet. Hux was all Ares ever knew, he was the only recurring person in the toddler’s life that guaranteed any sort of love or support. 

“Up? Up? Up, please,” Ares chanted softly and Hux couldn’t help but oblige. He picked the toddler up and then walked over to his bed, letting Ares rest on his chest. He knew Ares wanted to sleep on Ren’s big, warm chest but Ares knew better than to ask for Ren. 

“You are troublesome,” Hux said jokingly, “yet I’m pretty sure you’re inadvertently keeping me alive.” 

Ares stared at him, clueless. The toddler dropped his head onto Hux’s chest and shut his eyes. Hux supposed they could both take a moment to nap. 

Hux shut his eyes to sleep, seeing nothing in his head. He’d awaken once Mitaka arrived with more medication. If Mitaka didn’t come, he’d awaken again when Ares asked for dinner. The toddler had lately grown extremely fond of anything with starch and Hux had a hard time feeding Ares anything that wasn’t salt or starch. He supposed that was a later problem, he’d just have to take everything one step at a time—

_ Wake up, Starlight _ . 

His eyes shot open, but he comprehended very little of what he saw. Hux felt a sharp pain go through his head and shoot through his spine. He didn’t know how long he’d been laying there but he was thankful that Ares had rolled off him before he arched his back and let out a loud, pained gasp. The gasp woke Ares up violently, making the toddler flinch next to him and sit up. 

Hux was trying to breathe but couldn't; he felt like he was suffocating under the weight of an ocean. 

“Papa?” Ares asked but his voice was becoming distant. The toddler tried to shake his father with his little hand, alarmed. Ares cried out again, “Papa!” but no matter how he cried, Hux wouldn’t stop seizing and whimpering in pain. 

His mind felt like it was imploding. He was getting flashes of something and his actual vision had left him. He saw things he didn’t know he had seen passing over him like a wave, like a forgotten memory.

Someone was calling his name, he didn’t know if it was in the real world or his head. He saw something, a familiar face leaning over him and touching his cheek but he couldn’t tell them  _ no _ . He was desperate and felt like he needed something to fix whatever was broken, something new, something he knew would protect him from Ren and bring the disastrous Knight back to him. 

He saw white walls and the face of a handsome prince leading him through them. He remembered feeling like he was somehow betraying the Order and himself, but he knew this was the only way. Was he being manipulated? Or was he that desperate for—

“General! General Hux please,” someone begged. He briefly saw Lieutenant Mitaka’s face hovering over him but he could hardly react. Something was running down his face, dripping. Mitaka kept babbling something to him but all he heard was a deafening ring.

His mind was going too fast for him to handle. He heard a woman’s voice, seeing it had come from a cube on the floor that was bright with a blue color. It was the missing holocron, but nowhere in his memories did Hux know where it went.

But then he saw it, he saw all of it, what was missing in his head from the previous standard year from Quirinal where Himero held him and whispered hopelessly sweet words to him that finally got him to cave into his desires and his pathetic thoughts. 

He _remembered._

And suddenly, the pain was gone. Hux sat up quickly, holding his head between his hands. His mind stopped burning and he panted, finally able to catch his breath. He didn’t realize it at first, but Mitaka was holding his arms. Ares was crying next to him, spooked. The General couldn’t focus on either of them quite yet. 

“General Hux, sir! I’m going to contact medical!” Mitaka fretted, moving away from Hux. The General’s eyes widened.

“No!” Hux exclaimed, grabbing Mitaka by the arm and forcing him to stay. Mitaka stared at Hux, frazzled. “You will not!”

“Sir, I think you just had a seizure, or a panic attack, I’m not sure but you clearly should seek medical attention. Your nose is bleeding,” Mitaka told him, more sternly that Hux thought was characteristically common for the feeble man. 

Hux brought his hand up to his nose and felt the wetness under it. Sure enough, he saw that he had been bleeding. He kept his hand to his nostrils, hoping not to tarnish his sheets. Mitaka quickly moved and retrieved his General a cloth to press up against his nose. 

“I’m fine,” Hux insisted, taking the cloth and pushing it to his nose. 

But he wasn’t really fine. His memory somehow unlocked and showed him what happened on Quirinal. Now, Hux felt the weight of time in his palms, slipping through the cracks while Kylo Ren ruined the First Order. 

Mitaka noticed how starry yet distant Hux’s eyes looked. “Sir? Please allow me to contact the medbay. You don’t seem right.”

“Mitaka, I need a favor,” Hux said slowly. Hux turned to Ares and touched his son’s cheek with his clean hand. Ares inhaled sharply and began to calm down. The toddler rubbed his wet face and then grabbed Hux’s hand, now giving the General two unclean palms. 

“Uh, of course, General. Anything.” Mitaka sat down on his bed. It was somewhat unprofessional and uninvited but Hux wasn’t thinking about civilities at the moment. His brain, still somewhat reeling from his surge of memories, caused him to feel like he was out of his own body and empty in his chest. 

“You won’t like it. And you might not ever forgive me, I’m afraid. But there’s something I must see too,” Hux told him firmly, his face as serious as ever, though his muscles seemed tense and his chest still rose and fall heavily. 

Mitaka thought for a moment, unsure of what his General could want to ask of him that would make him upset. He already knew about Ares, which was pretty personal, so much how personal or invasive could he be of his General’s space? Lieutenant Mitaka took in a shaky breath.

“Anything for my General,” Mitaka told him proudly. Hux gave him a quick, sad smile. Mitaka didn’t think he’d ever forget Hux’s expression. 

 

/// 

 

Ren waiting in his chambers for Hux to arrive. He had, somewhat embarrassingly, taken the time to comb his hair and put on a black outfit that didn’t smell like fire and blood. He figured to convince Hux of anything, he needed to seem like he was regal and on his best behavior. As much as he hated playing games, he knew he’d have to be careful when maneuvering around the rabid General who was fierce as a mother wolf, baring his teeth at anyone who got too close to himself or his little pup. 

He had picked out a special dinner for Hux and him, something a bit more flavorful than the usual First Order meals. He knew Hux would resent any special food, but Ren would be lying if he didn’t admit he was in a way trying to impress the General.

He was almost lying if he didn’t admit he was hoping to get the General in his bed and impale him on his cock. He did miss how Hux felt under him, or on top of him, for that matter, and was planning on wooing Hux into his bed and into a role Ren could trust. It would be best if they got along better, even when Ren detested Hux and his entire being.

He had to have some patience. He wanted to help raise his son now that he wasn’t under the pressure of a higher master that could threaten all of them. It only made Hux’s reserved feelings for Ren more confusing as Ren didn’t understand why Hux wouldn’t just open up now. Snoke was going to hurt him. Why did it matter?

(His mind flashed to him throwing Hux against a console, humiliating and hurting him. No, he could explain himself to Hux. The General wasn’t totally unreasonable). 

His second task of the night was to contact his Knights of Ren to come to him. He already envisioned where’d he station them so he could have eyes everywhere. They would also be his guard. He felt full of life at the thought of everything going swimmingly: his Knights beside him, Ares growing up under Ren’s careful education, Hux beside him in bed, and a whole galaxy to rule. It was all coming together perfectly.

But as time passed, Ren grew the realization that Hux wasn’t coming. He was infuriated at the thought of Hux standing him up, abandoning such an obvious sign of unity. Surely the General wanted to keep his head!

Ren stormed to Hux’s chambers, banging on the door. 

“Hux! Open up!” He demanded. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a set of troopers quickly turn around to head on a different route to avoid Ren’s rage.

Nothing stirred. He threw the door open with the Force and found the General’s chambers to be quiet and motionless. He realized that he didn’t even feel Ares’ energy in the Force. Concerned, Ren looked around and went into Hux’s bedchambers. The sheets were wrinkled and there was a bloody rag on the floor. Ares’ crib was empty and Ren suddenly felt horrified.

He didn’t want to jump to conclusions. He didn’t want anyone to find out his anguish either. He searched carefully for any sign of Ares and Hux on the ship but wherever he looked, the two were nowhere to be found. 

They were just gone. 

There were no reports of deployed escape pods or missing ships and Ren couldn’t ask anyone about it without them knowing he wasn’t in control of something. If everyone realized the General was missing, they’d panic and grow more wary of Ren than they already were.

For the first time in a long time, Ren was truly scared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun DUN, Ren's poor behavior is finally catching up to him... this really isn't that romantic of an update for a valentine's day post lol but hey! we are getting back there i swear i already have a long chapter in the making filled with *love*... or whatever the closest thing kylux can get to. 
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	27. There You Are

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my trip to europe got cancelled cause of the virus but hey, that means you get a chapter cause im less busy! remember to wash your hands. in other news, wow star wars. 
> 
> leave a comment and a kudos! this chapter takes a turn lmaooo. also reminder: this is not TROS adjacent at all. 
> 
> cw: violence (war), ren's general abusive self towards FO staff and random people

Ren searched the ship thoroughly throughout the night shift. He also tried to reach out with the Force but found nothing. Everywhere he looked he found nothing. No Ares, no Hux, no trace: just nothing.

Hux had to have left the ship, he concluded, but even that seemed unreasonable of him. The First Order was his life, surely he wouldn’t abandon it? It seemed entirely illogical. Eventually, Ren or his Knights would find Ares through the Force and they’d track them down. Surely Hux didn’t want his head on a pike for trying to abandon the First Order and kidnap the new Supreme Leader’s son? It all seemed illogical and so unlike Hux. 

Desperation did do strange things to people, though. 

Ren was sleepless that night, yearning to find his son and Hux. He tried to meditate and look for them in the Force but, again, there was nothing. 

Ren was becoming infuriated. He was tired of this consistent nothingness that was beginning to plague him. He used his saber to slash open a few droids and even then his usual destruction of Hux’s property felt wrong without Hux there to pull his ear and demand that he due to the financial reports for him since most of the superfluous spending came from Ren. 

By the morning shift, Ren was standing on the bridge, fuming. Even without the Force, the officers could tell Ren was upset about _something_. He had reported that Hux was ill and needed to rest (some officers immediately assumed Ren had finally murdered their General) and decided to take up Hux’s post. It was good for him to take an authoritative position among the lowly officers, so he could show that he wasn’t just there to lounge around and reap the riches of a king. He didn't want to be like Snoke. 

What he was actually doing, though, was looking through every officer’s minds one by one to try to find out if anyone was conspiring with Hux, or if anyone had murdered him and Ares and disposed of the bodies. 

 _Don’t think like that,_ Ren told himself. 

Everyone seemed to have clean hands. His first suspect, Lieutenant Mitaka, was focused solely on numbers but Ren couldn’t find any inkling that Mitaka had done anything. He couldn’t tell if Mitaka was truly focusing on his work or if he was trying to work hard enough to make sure his brain didn’t wander anywhere revealing. Captain Peavey seemed normal too; he was detestable as ever but Ren didn’t sense any guilt. Ren began to think he was looking in the wrong places. Perhaps Allegiant General Pryde had done something. He wondered if he should contact the  _Steadfast_ so he could ‘inspect it.’ 

“Sir, a special forces TIE fighter is asking to board. It’s a custom model with a red-rimmed solar array support frame,” an officer in the pit reported. 

“Let them on,” he told her with a wave of his hand. It was Arla Ren’s custom TIE, but he didn’t know why she was flying it. She preferred comfortable, sturdy shuttles and her specialty wasn’t using ships for any battling capacity, though she was fully capable. 

Truthfully, he didn’t know what all his knights had been up to the past standard year. He knew they were all alive and well, but Snoke had kept their missions a secret as a way to keep Ren focused. 

It only took a few minutes for Arla to make her way to the bridge, two stormtroopers behind her. She didn’t seem too ragged and beat up from the outside; her outfit looked intact and she stood with pride. The troopers left the bridge after she waved at them to leave. Tenseness suddenly filled the air as the officers realized that the Knights of Ren were arriving. If they didn’t like Ren and all his mythical powers, then they surely wouldn’t like the posse of force users that he commanded.

Ren sneakingly glanced at Lieutenant Mitaka again, sensing that he was particularly growing more stressed out. By the minute, he suspected Mitaka more and more of foul play. 

Arla gave Ren a quick bow. “Nice to be reunited with you, Master Ren,” she said, “and congratulations on your rise to your position as Supreme Leader. It’s an honor to serve by your side.” 

He knew she didn’t particularly care about Snoke, even though he was her teacher too. Snoke very much regarded Arla as a little girl and a sensitive, prized daughter which always brought upon her frustrations. He knew the feeling, so he never faulted her on her aggression (though she was better at maintaining her emotions than Ren at times). He didn’t know how his other knights would react though. He doubted Gyro and Vision would fuss about it too much, but he questioned how Nykita and Vio would react. They were older and seemingly very dedicated to Snoke’s word and the life of being a Ren. He didn’t know if they’d take upon this change too well. They had before, but this was entirely different.

“Thank you, Lady Ren,” he said to her. She glanced around the room and he already knew what she was wondering. He talked to her through the Force,  _“Hux is missing. Assist me in finding him. Wherever he is, he must’ve taken Ares.”_

_“Missing? Unlike the General to leave. What did you do?”_

Ren gritted his teeth at the accusing girl.  _“I extended an olive branch and he didn’t want to take it, I suppose.”_

 _“To extend an olive branch, something has to be wrong in the first place, Kylo,”_ Arla widened her stance.  _“And just because I was away doesn’t mean me or the other Knights didn’t receive an update on what you were doing.”_ Ren shifted his jaw, glaring at her.  _“What were you thinking? Luring some scavenger-Jedi girl!”_

 _“We’ll discuss this later.”_ he cut off the connection but sensed she was still upset. He should’ve figured his Knights learning about Rey would’ve caused some jealous or confused feelings. He was merely trying to gain more power; he didn’t mean for his Knights to feel replaceable or worthless. Rey was out of his mind as a potential ally though, now that she proved she would not abandon those stupid Rebels. She may have had a pathetically big heart, but even she proved that she could be cold and unforgiving.

Now that he thought about it, he didn’t think Arla, or any of his Knights for that matter, would’ve liked Rey. She was unlike them in her own special way, and Ren detested her for it. But that didn’t matter anymore.

He saw how uncomfortable the officers were. Someone cleared their throat.

“Sir, you’re receiving a transmission from an encrypted source,” an officer said, trying to keep his voice steady. 

“Encrypted?” Ren immediately assumed that it was Hux trying to contact him, to tell him to fuck himself and say he’d never see his son again. “Send the message to a nearby private meeting room. I’ll take it there.” 

“Yes sir,” the man said, quickly transferring the message to Ren could view it privately. Once the message was ready for Ren, he turned to Lieutenant Mitaka, who was trying his best not to shake as he felt Ren’s eyes glaring into him like two lightsabers into his head. 

“Lieutenant Mitaka, I require an officer to view the message with me and take notes. Come with me and Lady Ren,” he told Mitaka. Mitaka swallowed and nodded. Ren heard someone say “yikes” under their breath. 

Mitaka got up and grabbed his datapad, following Arla and Kylo Ren through the corridors into the private meeting room that the officer sent the message to. When they all got in the room, Mitaka awkwardly began to set up a holo of the message. Ren stood in front of the table and Arla sat down, glancing at the timid lieutenant.

Interestingly, the Knights rarely interact with the First Order crew. They did interact with other beings on their missions, sometimes in cantinas and sometimes strictly with beings who would help them on their journey, but the First Order officers were not familiar with the Knights of Ren. Arla Ren was the only one that Kylo Ren considered to have any relation with the crew, and even then  _relation_ was a strong word. He didn’t even want her to talk to any of them; if Ren had a preference of who he’d keep a short leash on it would be Arla. She was his yappy little mutt that tried to sniff and bite anything that got close enough in range. He knew he had to let her take initiative on her own now; she wasn’t a little girl anymore. 

Ren wondered if Snoke also thought of the Knights as a type of group of animals. He certainly openly expressed that the General was a cur, he wondered if behind his back he had a special little rabid creature he thought Ren reminded him of. 

“You’re shaking, Mitaka,” Arla said, making him jolt. He looked up at her. Ren side-eyed the Lieutenant, filled with suspicion. He enjoyed seeing Arla begin to play the role of an interrogator especially since he had his suspicions about him.

“Ah, just wanted to find General Hux, Lady Ren,” he said politely. She shrugged at him.

“Perhaps it wouldn’t be difficult if you’d just tell us where he is,” Ren said in a low voice. Mitaka looked deadly pale.

“I don’t—” Ren turned sharply and put his hand up near Mitaka’s face. The man shut his eyes and cringed, swallowing hard.

“Do not play stupid with me,” Ren warned. “I can smell your guilt a galaxy away and since you’re the only one to know about Ares, it makes it entirely reasonable that it was you. Why help the General leave if you knew it would cause you trouble?”

Ren’s hand twitched and Mitaka felt pressure in his brain grow uncomfortably. Mitaka bravely opened his eyes, much to Ren’s surprise, lifting his head.

“I am loyal to my General. I won’t see him perish,” Mitaka said boldly. Ren groaned.

“ _I admire his conviction,”_  Arla said to Ren through the Force. 

 _“Shut up.”_ Ren pushed a little harder at Mitaka’s brain. “No, there’s something else… maybe you don’t even know it. Tell me what the General said to you.”

Mitaka gasped and clenched his fist, his eyes twitching but he remained standing. “It’s not what he said… but how he looked. You—” Mitaka let in an unsteady breath, and then he roared like a beast, “you were killing him!” 

Ren pulled his hand back, watching the Lieutenant stumble and grip the table. He still managed to look up with fiery eyes. Ren had never seen Mitaka act so courageously and out of line. He didn't know where this sudden idiotic bravery came from. Even if the General had inspired Mitaka to be braver, he didn't think Mitaka would ever have the balls to yell at a force user. 

Arla didn’t say anything but she raised her hand. Mitaka flinched, expecting the woman to also try to infiltrate his mind, but instead, he began to feel calm, his pain slipping away. Ren turned to her, wide-eyed.

“Stop assisting this traitor!” He demanded of her, curious of her willingness to relax such a feeble rat. 

“I believe his words, Master. I don’t think this man should die because he was trying to help someone you were actively hurting,” she snapped back, trying to be Kylo’s voice of reason. Her influence on Mitaka’s mind vanished and the man rubbed the side of his head, eyeing Arla cautiously. “Lieutenant, play the message. I’m sure my Master will be more forgiving once we get all the right pieces for our puzzle.”

Ren’s fist trembled but he said nothing, facing the viewport again. Mitaka merely nodded, half perplexed by the interaction, and worked the mini console. The windows looking out into space were covered by black panels and a projection was shown up against them. The projection played in a rectangular format with its usual blue tint.

The message began, and they were shocked to see the disheveled face of Prince Himero Dolos. His hair was messy and his uniform seemed dirty. It was unlike the prince to be anything less than charming. The message had only been taken about a half-hour ago, according to the time stamp. The background audio seemed to rumble and the world occasionally seemed to shake. 

“Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, congratulations on your promotion,” Prince Himero began, his face twisted in distress. Ren immediately wanted to punch through the hologram. 

He felt so utterly stupid. Within a millisecond of seeing the prince’s damned face, Ren should’ve known he should’ve assumed Hux had fucked off with the slimeball who was constantly trying to woo him. He thought about a moment a while back when Arla claimed Hux had betrayed him in some vague way. 

The more he considered the circumstance, the stranger it seemed. Hux had forgotten about the last night on Quirinal so there was nothing to suggest he’d be attracted to go back. 

Himero continued as the holo’s audio rumbled, “It seems that my planet is under attack. Even with your stormtroopers, it has become quite chaotic. Our planetary agreement states that the First Order will assist Quirinal in personal endeavors. I assume you would rather not have your port be destroyed too.” Himero paused, his expression changing from annoyed to something dark. Ren felt an uneasy shiver run up his spine. Something in the Force was calling him. “I know you detest me personally and want nothing to do with my planet, and that’s why I enjoy the General much more than you.”

 _“Bold bastard,”_ Ren heard Arla project through the Force.  _“I want to strangle him.”_

“And since you have no political reason to help me because you dislike me that much, let me raise the stakes for you,” Himero said. The prince ducked down for a moment and when he straightened back up, his hand was held up in a fist. 

When he released his fist, a necklace dangled out of his hand, its chain strung around his finger. The metal necklace had two dog tags attached to them, clanking menacingly. Ren got a flash of one of the letters.

They were Hux’s dog tags. Even without reading them, Ren recognized them. Hux usually wore them in case someone murdered him and disposed of his body, but to see it without its owner made Ren’s chest feel hollow. 

Ren remembered how the dog tags sat on Hux’s pale skin the first time they were intimate; they were shimmering elegantly as Hux’s chest rose with the feeling of Ren’s fingers traveling down his sides. When he had asked about the dog tags, Hux was rather impersonal about them saying they were just his identification. Ren always thought Hux wore them like it was a part of him rather than just a simple way of proving his identity. Hux would sometimes take his dog tags off during their sexual rendezvousing as if he didn’t want to be his usual self when Ren touched him. 

Somehow those dog tags felt private like nobody was allowed to see them but him. 

He was glad it was only a recording because Himero would’ve laughed at Ren’s pathetic, worried face.

“It seems I have something of yours,” Himero said cruelly. Ren huffed, trying to contain his anger. “Protect my planet from terrorists and you’ll be protecting the little family you’ve made. Best hurry though, it seems the opposing forces may break into our strongholds. Pity. Nice to know you, Ren.”

The message stopped and the hologram vanished. The panels began to slide out from the viewport and bring the light back into the room. Mitaka was also shocked beyond belief, his eyes wide and his teeth chewing on his glove anxiously. 

Ren slowly looked at Mitaka. Mitaka shrunk back, now knowing Ren would murder him. 

“I didn’t know the General’s plans, sir,” Mitaka tried to reassure. Before Ren could reach for his lightsaber, Arla leaned over and grabbed his forearm, stopping him. He half thought to smack her over the head for her impudence. 

“Now is not the time, Master. You must act quickly if you want to save your General and child,” she reminded him. “I can stay here with the Lieutenant and watch. Get your forces and go to Quirinal.”

Ren stared at her for a moment. Her grid-mask left no emotion but he knew Arla was insistent and wise. He snatched his hand away and growled. 

“I’ll contact Vision and Gyro Ren to meet me,” he told her and then turned away, swiftly exiting the room and leaving Mitaka and Arla in the dark.

Desperation began to swell in his chest. He couldn’t fathom why Hux would run away to Quirinal. Did he know it would be under attack? Was his arrival somehow connected to it? Ren assumed the damn prince somehow manipulated Hux into coming back, suspecting the man was Force-sensitive. He cursed, blaming Snoke for not letting him investigate the suspicious man himself. 

Perhaps Snoke just wanted them both to suffer through Himero’s fingers. He didn’t know but he didn’t have time to consider it. 

He commanded for the _Finalizer_ to head towards Quirinal at lightning speed, changing the course of action. He planned to take several troopers to Quirinal to blast through anybody who opposed him (no matter if they were Himero’s lot or his enemies) and take over the planet. He demanded that the  _Vanguard_ meet them halfway, nearby in a safer system for them to travel thereafter. Some of the crew thought Ren had gone mad, but they didn’t know half of it. 

In the docking bay, Ren began to get into his custom TIE silenced as Gyro and Vision were landing. The two knights popped out of their shuttles. Gyro had his war club strapped to his back and Vision with his custom rifle in his hands. Vision’s helmet has blinders on the side of them to force him to focus on his sniping. Both their looks hand somewhat changed over the year, but not enough for Ren to care. He was surprised, though, to see them both jump out of Vision’s ship the  _Night Buzzard._ Vision typically went off alone and Ren had been under the impression that none of the knights had been together.

“Master—” Vision began but Ren waved his hand.

“No time! We are going to Quirinal to retrieve the General. Shoot and kill anything that looks like it’s going to shoot us. Your objective is to retrieve the General and my son unharmed! There will be punishments I will personally hand out if they are hurt. If you see Prince Himero Dolos, capture him,” Ren instructed them, getting into his silencer as they entered the system that held Quirinal. The two knights nodded, going back into Vision’s ship. 

Ren powered up his TIE and once Quirinal was in sight, he and the other fighters flew off towards the planet, covering their Supreme Leader. All the fighting on Quirinal was strictly on land and it didn’t take long for Ren to realize that there was some sort of rebellion going on there surface. There were shuttles of residents and tourists abandoning the planet, and they were concerned at the sight of the First Order arriving near the planet. The  _Finalizer_ stayed a safe distance away from Quirinal, but Ren doubted anyone would try to go after their warship. 

He landed on Quirinal’s center city with little finesse, seeing now the chaos of the retreating guest and the rebellious forces. The rebellion seemed to be led by the Fyus, who were the native creatures from Ren’s understanding. They were shooting and hacking down royal guards and stormtroopers. The main city was smoking and glowing a fiery red as the battle raged, the usual beautiful ocean tones of the planet were gone with the smoke. 

Vision and Gyro landed nearby, hopping from their ship and going to their Master. Little had to be said between them. Vision went off to find a vantage point to snipe out anyone who would be in Ren’s path and Gyro removed his war club from his back. Gyro’s club was a lethal weapon; its blunt, heavy end drove kinetic energy to a concussion field generator that was sure to make deaths extremely painful. Its end was charged with a line tire, signaling its power in a light red glow. Each of Kylo's knights had their special weapons and uses. If he wanted everything to be quick and clean, he'd go to Arla and Nykita most likely. But right now, he craved a massacre. 

They strode through the smoking city, masked and black-clad like grim reapers. Ren had his lightsaber ignited; not many dared to challenge him, though the new Supreme Leader wasn’t their quarry. Anyone that got a hair too close was thrown aside by Ren’s powerful use of the Force, or Gyro would crack their bones with his club. If anyone was in their path, Vision would snipe them down, completely invisible from the rooftops. Nobody could tell who Ren was fighting for, but they prayed it was for them. The stormtroopers stationed on Quirinal were lucky that Ren knew they were his lot. 

The palace stairs were an active war zone. Ren kabobed a random man on his lightsaber and everyone looked his way, watching him unsheathed his lightsaber from the man’s chest. Ren kicked the body down the palace stairs and blew a strand of hair out of his face, glancing around to warn everyone they'd be next. Nobody dared to outright challenge him on the steps. 

He was hardly bloody, despite it all. The nice thing about lightsabers was that they usually cauterized wounds as they were impaling their victims. It didn't rid of the smell, though. The smoke smelt terrible but not as horrible as the bodies around. Ren wished he had his mask, but he wanted to see everything with the clearest eyes possible. He wanted no barriers; he wanted to face Hux with a vulnerable face when he found him. 

Ren and Gyro burst through the front doors and then closed them before anyone else could follow, but it seemed to have already been ransacked. There were dead bodies and ripped flags and thrown-about valuables. Ren took in an unsteady breath, hoping he wouldn’t find Hux among the bodies. 

Ren and Gyro walked through the halls until Ren found the old guest room he and Hux had stayed in. He thought back to the holo Himero sent, recognizing the background as the golden walls of their guest room. When they entered, the room was empty and dark, but Ren saw something shimmer on the floor. The object reflected the red light of Ren’s saber, menacing and cold. 

He quickly went over and picked up Hux’s abandoned dog tags, clutching them in his hand. He had picked up Luke Skywalker’s apparition of his father’s lucky dice recently and it had a strange weight in his body despite being fake, but this was much heavier; the dog tags somehow felt like a remaining piece of Hux he had to savor and save in the horrible circumstance that his General and son were truly gone. 

Ren tucked the dog tags into a pocket. It would be best if he kept them on him, he figured. He had no time to search for any real clues. Gyro perked up.

“Master, someone is outside the door,” Gyro warmed, antsy on his feet to beat something. Despite what Gyro Ren had shown to Hux, he was extremely cruel and violent. He was a master of torture and only gave quick deaths to those he respected. 

“Open it, but do not strike unless I command it,” Ren instructed.

The Knight followed his orders, allowing for the door to open as Ren tucked the necklace into his pocket. The silhouette of a Fyus stood in the doorway, its feline ears protruding prominently out of its head. Ren vaguely remembered her as Manto, Prince Himero’s assistant. She had a blaster in her hand but didn’t fire. 

“Oh, it’s you,” she said. She didn’t seem interested in killing Ren, but she was cautious of him. Her ears twitched to the side, taking notice of Gyro Ren standing with his club nearby.

“You have something that belongs to me,” Ren said darkly. 

“I’m in the middle of a revolution and have no inclination to help you, colonizer,” she spat, baring her long canines at Ren. 

“I don’t care about your little brawl against the Dolos dynasty, I’m here for my General and son! Tell me their location and we’ll be off,” Ren told her. 

“Like hells, you’ll take over this planet no matter who rules it. What makes you think I know where your red-headed Starkiller is?” 

“I can feel the location burning at the surface of your mind. Tell me or I’ll extract it. Painfully.” He clenched his fist and the Force caused a nearby vase to shatter. She eyed it, knowing she was trapped in Ren’s furious web. She was but a struggling bug and Ren was a venomous spider with much larger fangs than her. 

“I don’t know why your ginger has come back here, Himero is a strange man who hides many secrets. Even at his side, I knew he hid more than I could find out. I don’t know where the Prince is since I figure you’ll ask, but your General is at the research facility, where your son was born. Himero sent him there for reasons I don’t know but if that cursed Prince is there, then our rebellion will break through to find him,” she ranted. All things considered, Ren was rather impressed that the Fyus girl could infiltrate the Dolos dynasty and become the assistant to the Prince. She seemed like a good spy. 

Ren used the Force to rip the blaster out of her hand. She gasped and tried to reach for it, but it was useless.

“That’s all I needed to hear.” Ren used his raw strength to shatter the blaster in his hands. It was an idiotic thing to do really, and he was lucky nothing exploded and injured his hand. “And the First Order doesn’t care who you appoint to run your planet, just as long as I’m puppeting it.” Ren glanced at Gyro. 

“You can’t!—”

“That will be all,” he said coldly, glancing at Gyro. Under his mask, the Knight gave a spine-chilling smile. 

Gyro swung his club and bloodied the whole room.

 

///

 

They rushed to the medical facility, watching as families and civilians rushed around to find shelter or to escape. He saw mothers fighting for the last speeders and stormtroopers pushing people back as they asked for some sort of protection. Ren needed them all to _move_. He saw that the medical facility was under attack and Gyro and he strategically weaved their way in, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake.

The facility, when they entered, was nearly empty. Some doctors were making their way out with their life’s work, or nurses helping to carry babies, or parents pulling pods with their developing fetuses. The sight was uncomfortable, to say the least, but Ren didn’t react to their desperation to save their children. He was there to do the same, but selfishly he only needed _his_ son to be the survivor. Still, he tried to contact some TIE fighters to make sure nothing detrimental happened to the hospital. 

Ren reached out in the Force to find Hux and Ares. He could sense them, not too far away, but scared. They were in danger.

The Force screamed and whirled wildly as if it was greatly disturbed. He heard Gyro clear his throat, also feeling the effects of the Force’s anguish. The energy that would guide Ren to Hux was almost painful to feel and when Ren tried to decipher it, all he saw was a violent red light that called him, but also warned him not to get too close. He didn't know why the Force was acting so strangely; he had never felt it act up like this nor did he have any knowledge of it ever happening before. 

The building shook and people screamed. Ren ran, not caring if Gyro Ren could keep up. His chest was heavy and his eyes were wide. He wished he had his helmet to filter out the smoke but he was more desperate to reach his son and Hux. 

 _“I’m coming!”_ He tried to call out to Ares, knowing his son would most likely hear him over Hux. 

He ended up where his son was born, the hallway that held Ares’ pod. Memories flashed before his mind of seeing Ares for the first time and hearing Hux name him. His throat felt dry. 

The ceiling above him cracked and spat out some dirt and debris. He sensed Hux close by, his energy burning like a bright light in the Force. For a force null man, the Force seemed to be enthralled by Hux. He was like a star, deadly and beautiful but in need of something to shine upon. 

The building shook again and Ren finally reached the door where Hux was. He heard a child’s cries inside and threw the door open.

Hux was sitting on his knees on the floor, his back to the door. He didn’t know why Hux hadn’t run for his life. The man sounded like he was crying and was leaning over something, which Ren figured was Ares crying in his father’s embrace. Hux looked back at Ren, wide-eyed with tears running down his face. The man was disheveled, his uniform ripped at the sleeve and his orange hair wild.

Hux looked desperate, helpless, and lovely all at once. His face was of a father's, a General's, and a precious lover's wrapped all into one. And Ren needed to save that. He needed to save _his_ Armitage. 

Then Ren remembered once again his vision of the past. It was _real_ , his vision of Hux being crushed. He had chased a ghost over the edge of a cliff, but this was more than real. 

The ceiling trembled and Hux looked up, seeing the cracks grow bigger. The ceiling then caved in and fell. Hux shut his eyes and put his head down, further encasing himself over the precious thing he was protecting. 

“No!” Ren cried out. He put his hand out and the Force powerfully held up the stones and wires that tried to fall onto his General and his child. 

Everything stilled. 

The cries of the child didn’t cease but after a moment, Hux realized nothing was coming down to harm him. He looked up again, panting and pale, as he realized Ren was holding up everything that would’ve killed him. 

They looked at each other, silently, unsure what to do next. Ren felt the Force move oddly. 

“Dada?” A little voice said. Ren looked over and saw Ares crawl out from under one of the bed cots. Ares looked upwards at the floating stones and his jaw dropped. The toddler’s face was dirty and his light hair was a mess. Ren felt lighter at seeing his son safe and sound.

Then Ren realized the crying noise hadn’t stopped. Ares wasn’t crying and Hux was teary-eyed but silent. But there was still a baby’s cries echoing through the room. Hux was shaking violently and there was a strange look in his eyes. 

“Hux?” Ren questioned, still holding up the heavy ceiling pieces. Hux looked down into his arms and back at Ren, seeming guilty. Ares toddled over to Hux and leaned onto him nervously. 

Hux turned around slightly, taking in an unsteady breath. The Force moved with him.

Oh. 

_Oh._

There was a bundle in Hux’s arms, squirming and crying. Ren blinked blankly, feeling weirdly hollow from the sight. 

Had Hux saved a child? No, even the General who cared for his son with every ounce of his body wouldn’t spare another child if it risked Ares’ wellbeing. Hux, who kissed Ares on the head and tucked him in every night, was the same man who supervised a program that stole children from their wasteland homes to make them into soldiers. 

Ren reached out with the Force and nearly dropped all the stones he was holding up from utter shock. 

The child was force sensitive.

More than that, her energy was familiar and was looking for him. The baby calmed and Ren felt his face grow red and his eyes wet with heavy tears.

He didn’t believe it but there was no other explanation.

"Hux?" Ren asked again, his voice trembling. 

Hux was holding his daughter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so uh, surprise? yes i've planned this since the beginning and yes it only gets worse/better depending on how you look at it. rip to ren's brain it's trying so hard to work. and rip to hux's heart cause he's trying to have one. thanks for all the support
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Follow me on Twitter if being a sw fan is a struggle [@truemoongoddess](https://twitter.com/truemoongoddess)


	28. Sorry For What I've Done

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we go! im glad people still love kylux even when the new trilogy is over... (i mean it was a messy trilogy imo but hey). anyway, here is some angsts and love. i think a lot of us now are being isolated because of the virus outbreak so lets get through this together by reading and writing fanfics!
> 
> leave a comment and a kudos!

_A daughter, a daughter,_ ** _my_** _daughter,_ Ren’s head sang. He should’ve been joyful and proud but all he was was confused and slightly betrayed. 

They took Vision’s _Night Buzzard_ off the planet. Gyro was flying it while Vision Ren flew back to the _Finalizer_ in Kylo’s special TIE silencer. There wasn’t enough room on a TIE to carry all of them, and Ren needed something sturdier to get him and his family to the _Vanguard_. They left Quirinal in utter silence, leaving the planet to its demise. It was likely the battle was dying down and that the First Order would overtake it, but the planet being now in his hands for him to control somehow still unnerved Ren. Quirinal felt like a cursed place, after all, though it brought them strange blessings in the form of a family. 

 _Family_. Ren wasn’t sure how he felt about the word. Ares was his son and the baby still wrapped in Hux’s arms was of the Force like Ares, so she was also his daughter. But Hux was different. He was Ren’s other half through this whole journey, yet the man would crumble at the thought of being Ren’s family. Family was a strange, twisted concept to the two of them. 

No dyad or blood relation to a Skywalker could ever compare to what was in front of Ren. 

Ren couldn’t see the baby’s face. Hux and Ren were sitting across from one another. Hux’s eyes were chilly, staring coldly into Ren’s soul. Ren stared back, leaned forward in his seat with his hands clasped together over his mouth. Ares was sitting next to Hux, sleepy. The toddler was leaning against Hux, clinging to his side and squishing his cheek against Hux’s body. It had been a long day for him, though when he got older he most likely wouldn’t remember it. 

The baby’s influence in the Force was powerful. She was wrapped in a little light pink blanket and was resting in Hux’s arms as if she was the most regular thing in the whole galaxy. Ren could somewhat make out that the baby was wearing a black hat on her little head. 

When Ren’s eyes lingered too long on the newborn, Hux adjusted the bundle in his arms so she was harder to see. The corner of Ren’s lip twitched. 

“So. Anything you want to discuss with me?” Ren began, his voice low. Gyro Ren was locked in the cockpit and couldn’t hear them, but Ren figured the Knight could sense the tension and the new energy in the Force. 

“No,” Hux said plainly. Ren had to give it to Hux, the man was still bold despite very obviously being in a compromising position. 

“Really? The fact that you are holding a force-sensitive child is nothing to talk about?” 

“Yes.” Ren glared at the ginger weasel. He felt a vein pop out of his neck. Before Ren could speak again, Hux was already shushing him. If the General wasn’t surrounded by their children, he really would’ve lashed out at him. “Don’t be aggressive. You’ll wake her up. And Ares.”

Ares was already stirring. The toddler yawned and opened his eyes, rubbing his little fist over his face. He stared at Kylo with his wild bedhead. The toddler slowly got down from his seat and walked over to Ren. Ren expected Hux to be apprehensive but the General merely stared wordlessly. Ares put his arms up to Ren. 

“Up, up,” Ares chanted. The boy’s tired, innocent blue eyes couldn’t be resisted. Ren sighed and picked Ares up from under his armpits and let the sleepy toddler sit on his lap. 

“You’re filthy,” Hux said, crinkling his nose. 

“You aren’t looking too hot either, General,” Ren said, letting his son rest against him and babble incoherently. “I just saved your life, be grateful.”

“I didn’t ask for your help,” Hux muttered. Ren stood up abruptly, Ares clutched in his arms. The toddler let out a little gasp and looked up at his dad, startled. Hux never handled him roughly. 

“You put my son in danger! If you didn’t want my help then stop getting in situations that require it! What the kriffing hells were you thinking!? What is the meaning of all of this!” Ren yelled at Hux. His yelling woke the newborn. She cried and Hux tried to calm her, his red-rimmed eyes glaring at the Supreme Leader.

“Down, down please,” Ares asked with his sweet little voice. Ren stared at him a minute, realizing that his outburst was disturbing his children. He didn’t like that now his anger had true consequences. He knew Hux could handle it, but the children would be frightened by his authority since they didn’t understand it. 

Ren reluctantly put Ares down and he toddled back over to Hux. He climbed back on the seat and tried to hide behind Hux’s back, forcing the General to sit forward. Hux was patient with his son but had no patience for Ren’s screaming.

“You have no idea what _I’ve_ been through,” Hux said firmly, trying to keep his voice from trembling. 

“Then enlighten me!” 

Hux was quiet again, focused on rocking the baby back to sleep. Ren’s eyes were wide and his lips were slightly parted as he watched.

He desperately wanted to see her face. It was unfair that Hux was hiding her from him. He wanted to know why Hux had gone back to Quirinal for a second child. Was she planned all along? Did Hux conspire with Himero to make another child? It didn’t seem to make sense. Prince Himero despised Ren; even if the Prince desired Hux he didn’t think the man would go out of his way to bring Hux another child just to impress him. 

He didn’t even think Hux wanted another child, especially given the mess they were in. Granted, if she was recently born then she had been in development for months before Starkiller’s destruction, Ren’s rise to supremacy, and Rey’s infiltration of his life. 

Ren couldn’t fathom any logical reason why Hux would bring another baby into the galaxy. Did the man just want to feel another baby in his arms? He didn’t think the General was that sentimental. The man loved his son and cared for him, but familial matters didn’t seem like Hux’s top priority. Ren began to think Hux had brought another baby into their world to manipulate him or to have a force user to use against him. 

Ren swallowed hard. Maybe the child wasn’t even his. Maybe it was Himero’s kid and Hux let the pathetic prince woo him into the paternal instincts that Hux had tried to push away. The thought made Ren’s skin crawl. He didn’t think he could look at the baby if it wasn’t his, even if she had Hux’s blood flowing through her. Ren squeezed his hands into fists tightly. He tried not to let his worries overcome him. He knew he had to be careful now.

The Force trembled as the baby began to squirm. Hux carefully reached down into his bag slowly without any sudden movements so he wouldn’t startle Ren. The General pulled out a cylinder and then a baby bottle. He was attempting to mix the formula for the baby but was having a difficult time because Ares was clinging to him and the newborn was in his arms. Ren saw how Hux’s eyes wrinkled in frustration. 

He sighed. He didn’t want his doubts to ruin his chances of getting close to Hux and the children, even if he had a theory that the little girl wasn’t his at all. He knew it was unlikely that the baby wasn’t his, but he didn’t want to act certain just in case he’d have to face disappointment later.

Ren got up and went over to Hux. “Let me help.”

“I’m fine,” Hux said through gritted teeth. Ren reached for the bottle and Hux pulled back quickly, his eyes wide. The baby cried and Hux held her tighter; her face still wasn’t visible to Ren. “I said it’s fine!”

Ren took a deep breath. He couldn’t lash out now, not when he was this close to his children. Ares was peaking at Ren from behind Hux, his blue eyes bright and curious. Slowly, Ren reached out for the bottle again. Hux’s face twisted as if Ren was going to hurt him merely by brushing his finger against his. 

“It’s all right,” Ren tried to say reassuringly. He could still sense that Hux was slightly out of sorts; the man’s mind was still unraveled. “Let me help, Armitage.” 

Ren somehow convinced Hux to let him be of assistance, though Hux wouldn’t stop eyeing him cautiously. Ren mixed the powder and water, making the instant formula for the baby. He remembered how to still, but it had been a long time since he made any food for Ares. Ren handed Hux back the bottle and the General grabbed it. He turned to the side slightly and began to feed the newborn. Ren could hear her drink up the formula and clenched his hands again, aching and yearning.

Ren reached into his pocket and carefully put Hux’s dog tags back around his neck. Hux let him but stayed perfectly still. Hux’s frigid eyes seared into Ren as the tags gently laid against his chest, finally returning to their rightful place. 

Instead of pushing his luck, Ren moved away from Hux. Hux took notice at Ren trying to be considerate. The General knew the small amount of power he had over Ren was somehow unjust and cruel; he was using the children to keep Ren sedated but he genuinely worried that Ren would lash out at any of them. 

The rest of the ride was considerably awkward. Ren stared at them with predatory eyes but, even if Hux was his prey, he was still fierce enough to stand against something that could harm his children. 

The _Vanguard_ came into sight and Hux trembled. It was the first time he saw the complete version of the ship. It was a Herculean ship; its size could easily rival the size of a moon or small planet. It would be the biggest ship in the First Order’s fleet. Even by looking at it, it seemed impenetrable. The ship was more sturdy than the Death Star and its shields were much stronger (and better well protected) than that of Starkiller Base. She was a hulking, proud ship that would house the most powerful people in the galaxy and the most useful information, yet Hux somehow felt threatened to go to it.

The _Vanguard_ was supposed to be stationed on Kalypso but Ren had ordered it to meet them partway so he could safely move Hux and Ares (and the new baby, for that matter) onto the ship. The ship had a functioning crew and was already setting up its fighter pilots and training regimes onboard, but its newness allowed for the ship to be easier to sneak their kids onboard. 

Hux didn’t say goodbye to his _Finalizer_. He wondered who Ren would appoint to run it. His first guess would be Captain Peavey. As much as Hux detested the older man, he knew Peavey was dedicated to the Order’s cause and would pick his work over personal problems any day. 

“Hux,” Ren said. Hux flinched but didn’t look at him. “Why do you have another child?”

Hux didn’t answer. He swallowed and his lips parted for a second but he shut his mouth again when the ship rumbled. Hux looked down at the baby girl and decided to stay quiet. Ren shifted his jaw.

When the _Night Buzzard_ landed inside the docking bay of the _Vanguard_ , Hux froze up. He stared down at the new baby with a worried face, trying desperately to hide his concern but failing miserably. Ren could sense how Hux’s mind was still trying to catch up to deciphering what he had done. 

“They’ll see them,” Hux said with a flat tone. Ren almost felt pity. 

Ren recalled a time he _could_ feel empathy for others. When he was training for the Knights of Ren, he remembered how he was confused over the false promises of the late Master Ren who said he wouldn’t kill a group of aliens and then did. Ben didn’t know how to react. He didn’t feel particularly _bad_ for the aliens, he just felt like he knew what was supposed to be right from wrong. But here, he knew it’d be wrong to betray Hux’s feelings: he would make no false promises, but he wouldn’t let himself succumb to pity. Hux wouldn’t want that anyway. 

“I’ll use the Force to make everyone look away. I’ll erase their memories if I must,” Ren reassured quickly. Hux’s lips tightened at the thought of losing memories, now that he realized he had been tampered with. 

Ren needed Hux to give him a chance. He despised this new power imbalance but when he looked into Ares’s bright eyes and heard the new baby let in a strange breath he felt his selfish thirst for dominance diminish. He had a primal urge to protect the crooked family he created, to correct his errors just to please them, yet he didn’t want to say he had done anything wrong.

Ren decided if he could have them now and show them he was worth it now, then his worries would wash away. Hux and Ren stared at each other, searching in each other’s eyes for some sort of reassurance or answer to the questions they wouldn’t ask. 

Vision Ren’s ship landed inside the _Vanguard_ and Gyro Ren and he helped clear out the docking area so the General and the Supreme Leader could leave without having to manipulate too many minds. They unloaded, greeted by the two knights. Of course, when the two knights saw Hux with a new bundle in his arms and Ares waddling at his side as they steadily headed down the ramp, they projected their confusion and awe to their Master. Ren, helmetless and still on a high from slaughtering those beings on Quirinal, glared at them and bared his teeth.

 _“Master! You have brought another gift,”_ Gyro Ren projected into his Master’s mind. 

 _“Lucky you. Another Child of Ren! But you seem unhappy,”_ Vision then projected. 

“Both of you clear us a path,” Ren demanded before they continued their wondering. He almost detested how their personalities were shining through. It would be easier for him if they were droids, though he didn’t like droids either. 

“To where?” Gyro answered seriously as if he just wasn’t cooing over the idea of another force child. 

Hux huffed. He noticed a BB-9E roll by and whistled at it loudly. The droid turned and rolled to him, beeping obediently. Ren didn’t know why he was curious about Hux’s ability to whistle. 

“Take us to the Supreme Leader’s chambers,” he instructed the droid, followed by telling it some sort of access code. The droid beeped and turned, rolling off to lead them. Hux glanced at the two knights. “Kylo said he’d make sure no one would spot us arriving. See to it that you respectfully deter anyone from our path.”

Ren turned sharply to Hux, “You do not command my Knights!”

But his Knights were already following Hux’s order. Ren blinked blankly, surprised by their willingness to listen to the General. He’d discuss it with them later. 

Hux bent down to try to pick up Ares but found it too difficult to hold a newborn and his two-year-old. He groaned in annoyance as Ares was trying to clamber onto him, wanting to be held. Ren stepped in.

“I’m fine!” Hux insisted, his eyes wild. Ren rolled his eyes and picked Ares up. The toddler clung to him, rubbing his dirty face onto Ren’s chest. Hux looked at him somewhat nervously and then went off to follow the BB unit and the Knights, still unwilling to let Ren see the new baby’s face.

He could still sense her presence in the Force; she was positively vibrant. Ares didn’t have the same presence as her, which seemed logical, yet there was something different about her. She wasn’t using the Force, but the Force was surrounding her like she was special. 

Ren followed behind Hux, observing the new halls of his ship. The ship was clean and strong looking, even from the inside. The mouse droids fearfully scattered when Ren came into view as if the mouse droids from the _Finalizer_ had warned their brothers about the destructive Kylo Ren. 

He could hear the baby sniffle and move in Hux’s arms and craved to see her. He needed to see her. He needed to _hold_ her and make her know he was her father.

He was her father, right? He didn’t want to go down this rabbit hole again but doubt began to grow again in his mind and he grew fearful of what the actual truth was. Her force sensitivity suggested she was his daughter, but it could’ve just been him projecting his want. She could’ve been Himero’s child for all he knew, a result of the General’s adultery (as if they were even in a relationship at all for it to be considered adultery). 

There was still no certainty in the situation. He tried not to be dismal. It tried not to be illogical either.

The halls of the _Vanguard_ were slick and clean but its new mapping was currently confusing to them. Thankfully, the BB-9E droid was programmed to know the inner workings of the ship. New troopers were already trained in understanding the new ship but there would be a temporary learning curve with everyone as they had to learn the  _Vanguard_ ’s new halls and upgraded technology. 

They arrived at their new chambers. The door itself suggested that inside was something powerful and private. The double sliding doors were black and had the outline of the First Order’s emblem as its shape. The sleek black doors were made of a heavy metal that could withstand blaster fire and even prevent lightsabers from effectively cutting into it. All precautions were taken to keep them safe. 

The Knights had gone out of sight to let their Master and Hux deal with their personal issues alone. The BB-9E unit rolled off dutifully. 

The security system was more advanced than the ones they had at the chambers on the _Finalizer_. It needed a physical code, a keycard, and even had facial recognition and a laser scanner. Perhaps it was over the top, but Hux knew he wanted to take every precaution so that even a Force user would struggle to find their way inside. 

“You put the code in. For now, it’s our son’s full name. I’ll change it later,” Hux instructed Ren. 

“Has the whole security system been set up?” Ren asked as he went over to the keypad. He put Ares down so the child wouldn’t try to press every button. Ares wobbled over to the door and stared at it. 

“No. I’ll do it soon.” Ren side-eyed him and punched in the temporary code.

The double doors slid open and Ares stumbled inside quickly. Before Ren could even blink, Hux went into the room and pushed a button to shut the door behind him. Ren gasped and slammed his fist on the closed double doors. 

“What the kark!” Ren screamed, kicking the door with the toe of his boot. Ren went back to the console and put in the password but found it already didn’t work again. He put it in about twice more before stopping, afraid to turn on the security system. He didn’t know what the new, temporary password would’ve been and realized Hux had played him. He pressed the call button and yelled into the mic. “Hux, open this door!” 

Hux didn’t reply. Ren could sense him sitting against the door, a sorrowful wave of emotions rolling off him like a grim fog. He could sense Ares, confused and worried as he watched his father sulk against the door. Ren could sense the newborn, squirming and fretting over things she couldn’t comprehend. 

Hux played with his inner turmoil for a moment, unsure if Ren was listening. He knew what he was doing was rash, stupid even, but it was over and done with. His self-preservation and desire to protect his children were too strong for him to consider what would be rational in his situation. Angering the Supreme Leader further was not rational at all. He was better off keeping Ren tame and happy so he could save his neck and prevent his children from any further emotional trauma from having the worst parents in the galaxy. 

But Hux wouldn’t move to open the door. Ren ignited his lightsaber and swung it, intending to slice the door open, but stopped when he realized how reckless it would be to do so with Hux, Ares, and the bag sitting so close on the other side. He didn’t want to be forceful, he just wanted to find out what the hell had happened over the last few months. 

Ren panted, staring at the violent red hue of his saber. He turned it off and pushed his head against the door. He couldn’t use the force to open it easily, the mechanical design would make it tricky, but he didn’t want to break something brand new and designed to protect them. 

“Armitage...” Ren said softly. He reached out to Hux with the Force, feeling how Hux’s head shot up. “ _Hux you have to let me in_.” 

“I can’t,” Hux said out loud. Ren could sense Hux’s teary eyes but couldn’t see them. 

He wished his dyad was with the person he loved and not with the annoying scavenger that he blamed for his ruin. His force connections were burdensome; he had had several of them and slowly he was getting rid of them. He only wanted force connections with his children: not with his mother, not with a master, or not with any Jedi in training. He wished the General could retain a force connection with him. 

He wanted to see Hux, let him know he was there. At the very least, it would be easier to convince Hux to open up to him if they could connect with the force. 

“ _You must. Hux, why do you have another baby?_ ” Ren asked him through the Force. Hux leaned over the baby, sniffling. Ren knew Hux was holding back his answer. Hux was in a vulnerable state and Ren knew he was trying to push Hux to get an answer, but for the first time, he felt guilty about playing with someone’s emotions. He never cared before, but Hux always had a way of changing his mind. 

“No…” Hux said weakly. Ares sat down in front of him, asking softly, “pa?” 

“ _Hux you risked your life for her. Why?_ ”

“Because… cause…” Hux was stumbling over his words, his mind feeling like a jumbled puzzle with lots of missing pieces.

“ _Because why_?”

“Because you wouldn’t give a damn about anything without your bloodline involved!” Hux shouted into the air. The baby whined and Hux shut his mouth again, adjusting her so she was more comfortable. Hux rubbed his eyes.

“ _I don’t understand,_ ” Ren admitted, lifting his head off the door. 

“Of course you don’t understand. I don’t understand your ridiculous force shit and yet I get wrapped into it too. It just felt right I don’t know,” Hux tried to explain, but Ren sensed he was getting lost in his own words. “I saw a prophecy and I was just so desperate to win you back that I thought if you could… have another baby you’d care again.”

Ren’s jaw dropped. He felt his eyes grow teary. No, this couldn’t be the cruel General Hux that rather die than show a single emotion. This was someone else, someone broke out of the hollow shell that was Hux. Someone that Ren had unintentionally forced out of him. 

“I don’t—” Ren said out loud then shook his head, forgetting that Hux wasn’t with him. “ _I don’t understand, Hux. I still don’t know what you mean._ ”

“Foolish of me to think you’d understand. It doesn’t matter, after these past few weeks I’ve seen who you are. You are conflicted and selfish. And I was too stupidly enamored by you to think that I could actually bring you back to where you belonged,” Hux said, his tone getting softer so that the baby would begin to relax. “You promised that we’d work together to bring glory to our children. But I was an idiot to think you’d ever care for anything other than yourself. I doubt another child will bring me back my Kylo.” 

Ren stood up straighter and banged his fist against the door, shocked.  _His Kylo_? No, he wasn’t anything but Kylo Ren, it was the name he picked himself and the person he wanted to be. He didn’t think he was reverting into someone else like the 'Ben Solo' his family wanted. 

But Ren realized that Hux wasn’t referring to the self he was born as he was referring to the new position he took as Supreme Leader. It was a position he liked, but he hadn’t realized it was destroying who he was to Hux. Hux was thinking back to when Ren would protect him and do his best to care for his son and he had clung onto that idea, his mind becoming a toxic pool of desire and want. He wanted that kindness back, perhaps the only kindness he knew, and perhaps thought Ren would come to him again if he saw another baby. 

But Ren was coming back, though he was still selfish and conflicted. Hux wouldn’t believe it though. He realized his mind was wishing for something built off poisonous, insecure needs and he didn’t want to become dependent on anyone. 

He didn’t want to get hurt.

He could feel Hux shutting him out of his mind. 

“ _Hux, no! I’m not leaving!”_ Ren projected loudly. 

“Leave me alone, Ren. Just… leave me be.” 

“Hux!” Ren yelled out loud. His voice rang throughout the _Vanguard_.

The connection was severed. Ren wanted to tear his hair out but stood there, baffled. Ren didn’t realize how loudly he was breathing until he was alone with himself. The hallway was silent, not even a mouse droid snuck by. All Ren could hear was himself. He hated it.

He had to get Hux to let him in their chambers. He’d eventually need someone’s help realistically, but Ren desperately wanted to see his children. Moreover, he desperately wanted to see Hux. He wanted to fix what he broke if he could fix it at all. 

What was behind the door was his future. But the first step was to open it and face what that future was. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so angst yeah. next chapter is gonna be long and spicy lemme tell you. i'll be damned before i let kylux die like a bi/tch. these two asshole aint going down so easily. leave a comment!
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Follow me on Twitter [@truemoongoddess](https://twitter.com/truemoongoddess)


	29. Bring Forth Your Sorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will be long but I hope it has all the love, angst, and smut you all want. Finally, we have come to find something we all have been waiting for: kylux freedom from emotional constipation.
> 
> leave a comment and kudos please! hope everyone is doing well
> 
> CW: mentioned suicidal thoughts, referenced abuse, sexual content, implied depression

In the dead of the gamma shift, Kylo Ren strode down the halls of the _Vanguard_ to what was Hux’s new quarters, since Hux wouldn’t let him inside.

Ren had taken up what would’ve Vio Ren’s chambers temporarily since he was banished from his own master chambers, but Ren figured he had to settle for it. The ship was supposed to compensate for his family (it was still a strange word to Ren, family), instead, he found himself to be more isolated than he wanted. 

Nobody crossed his path as he headed, fist clenched, to Hux’s room where he had been hauled up since he was retrieved on Quirinal. Nobody could get the General to leave his rooms. Ren even got Lieutenant Mitaka to take station on the _Vanguard_ just to try to persuade Hux out of his quarters. It didn’t work, but at least Hux would agree to receive much-needed supplies from Mitaka. Mitaka was less than helpful in telling Ren how Hux was doing. He’d strangle the Lieutenant if he wasn’t the only person who could see and talk to Hux.

Ren didn’t force his way into Hux’s room for one reason only: Hux had control over their children. He hated the General for isolating himself; he wanted to throttle the man for having the power over the one area that Kylo couldn’t force to bend to his will. He wanted to see his kids.

_Kids,_ Ren thought. It wasn’t just Ares anymore. It was the other baby too, the one Hux hid from Ren. He hated that Hux still had some sort of power over him. 

Ren could just take the kids, but he knew Hux would kill himself before he let the one man who threatened his health every day take away his babies. Hux was never supposed to be the sentimental type, but his children had a hold on him. 

Ren didn’t want to admit that Hux’s dedication to standing his ground caused his heart to ache. Ren didn’t want to see that Hux’s declining health was caused by his anger, his lack of foresight, and his ignorance. 

Upon reaching Hux’s quarters (it was supposed to be _their_ quarters, Ren wanted to cry), Ren quickly considered just forcing his way in and giving into his impatience. He stopped himself, knowing that he had to let what he wanted to happen come about as naturally as possible. That meant being void of his fury, his power, and his selfishness. 

Ren couldn’t take the rejection anymore. Hux’s rejection was one thing. The rejection of his flesh and blood children was another.

He couldn’t stop thinking about how Ares buried his face in Hux’s arm after Ren stormed into the facilities of Quirinal. He couldn’t stop remembering Hux’s tired, pained eyes when he saw Ren coming. He knew what Hux was thinking.

_Don’t kill them, Ren._

Ren didn’t ever think even Hux could view him so lowly. It wasn’t Hux’s hatred that made him think that: it was his fear. 

He couldn’t take it. And he would never forget how the baby in Hux’s arms cried harder and harder the closer he got to Hux. It was like his daughter was already afraid of him. 

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. 

It didn’t have to be. 

Ren clicked the buzzer and waited for Hux to answer. For a few minutes, Ren thought Hux was going to ignore it. Ren felt the frustration building up in him. 

Reaching out with the force, he could _feel_ his children behind the door. He could feel Ares’s as he slept deeply. Ares was dreaming; he didn’t know what the toddler was dreaming, but Ares felt confused. 

Ren sensed the already conflicted aura of the new baby. He cringed. He knew it was him who caused that conflict. But he also knew she was force sensitive. It made his heart swell with pride but that pride quickly dissipated at the thought that Hux would never let him see her. 

Ren dropped to his knees outside Hux’s doors. Ren never recalled a time that he felt so helpless. 

The door opened and there Hux stood in a long, black robe and high socks. Ren didn’t look up to him. He kept his head bowed. 

Hux was silent at first, just staring at Ren’s bowed form. He didn’t seem to care that the Supreme Leader kneeled in front of him, and it just hurt Ren more. 

“Go away, Ren,” Hux said in a quiet tone. He sounded exhausted, lacking his usual bite. Hux didn’t add Ren’s title and half expected Ren to give up his pitiful stance and choke him out again. Ren squeezed his hands tightly, having heard Hux’s thoughts.

He slowly inched forward until his head was pressed against Hux’s torso. Hux flinched but didn’t move. Ren slowly moved his hands up, trying to demonstrate that he wasn’t trying to hurt Hux. When Hux didn’t react, he softly placed his hands on Hux’s hips and gave his hipbones a careful squeeze. 

“I’m sorry Hux,” Ren apologized. His voice, though feeling like it was going to collapse, was still firm and clear. Hux gulped, his eyes wide. In all his years working with Ren, he had never heard Ren apologize in such a tone. Hell, he couldn’t even remember if Ren had ever apologized to him. 

“Please, Ren, let go,” Hux said even softer and weaker. Ren squeezed Hux’s small waist tighter, fearing that Hux would retreat. 

He wanted Hux’s forgiveness. He needed it. He knew that Hux could just stab him right here and nobody would blame him, not even his own children. But Ren stayed in place, hoping to show Hux how sorry he was. 

Ren knew he could never make it up to Hux for what he did in the past, but they had to start somewhere. Ren realized he couldn’t live knowing he had kids he wasn’t allowed to care for.

He knew he wouldn’t be able to take it if he couldn’t raise them with Hux. 

“Armitage please,” Kylo begged. He heard Hux take a deep inhale. Ren began to tremble. 

He had tried to hurt Hux. The man who had been caring for their children, almost alone, while Ren went on a quest to defeat some _scavenger_ that didn’t even matter in the grand scheme of things. Hux was just trying to protect Ares and the new baby, and Ren knew now he was the main threat to them. 

He could have killed Hux and Ares would have no other parent. The new baby could have been abandoned on Quirinal and Ren may have never known, crushed under rubble or burnt up by Rebels. 

A part of Ren wanted to be furious with Hux for hiding that they were having another child, but he knew why. He was killing their family. He was killing the only family he ever wanted while trying to kill the family he hated. 

“Armitage I’m so sorry. I can’t…” Ren cleared his throat. His eyes began to wet and he nuzzled his head against Hux’s stomach. Hux never carried their children of course, but Ren always felt somehow that Hux spiritually carried them. “I shouldn’t have hurt you. There’s no excuse, I know that. You were trying to protect Ares. You were just trying to build a family for us... And… I know you’ve wanted to rule the galaxy. Our children deserve the galaxy, and I’ll give it to them. I’ll give it to you. Just please Hux, don’t keep me in the dark. I need to be in their life. I need to be in yours.” 

He felt something drop on his head. Ren looked up and another one of Hux’s tears fell onto his face. Ren hadn’t let go of his tears but seeing Hux crying left him in ruin.

The General looked beyond exhausted. His skin was paler than usual (did he not notice on Quirinal?) and the overall composition of Armitage seemed unhealthy. Ren felt his own tears creep down his face. 

“You hurt me,” Hux said as apathetically as he could while his tears stained his face like a ruined portrait. His eyes seemed to be without their usual fiery glimmer. 

Hux was defeated. Ren was playing a finite game with him and he was winning. The rules were simple: don’t get attached and outmatch the competition to get the crown. But he couldn’t win. He couldn’t win over Ren’s brutish strength and his pleading. Hux couldn’t win over his own bleeding heart. He felt like he had lost everything, yet he lost it all to gain one thing. 

“I know.”

“I was alone.”

Ren swallowed hard. “I know.” 

There was a pause. 

“I’m so tired Kylo.” 

Hux hung his head, shaking. Everything built up inside him and now, seeing the man he loved and hated kneel for his forgiveness, it was all too much. He didn’t know what to do. He could lie and say he forgave Ren just so he could make things safe again, but he just wasn’t sure of what to do. Hux was afraid to get hurt again.

_Hux is afraid of me. He’s afraid and it’s my fault_ , Ren’s head guiltily rang. He leaned into Hux’s stomach again and gave it light kisses. 

“I won’t hurt you again, I promise it. I’ll destroy this galaxy to keep you and the children safe. I know I’ve done wrong. I know I’ll probably do wrong again, but I won’t hurt you. And I’d rather die than hurt the children,” Ren swore. 

Something shifted in the Force. Ren wasn’t actually sure if the whole galaxy noticed his pleading, or if he just felt the emotions change of the one man who mattered to him. 

Hux moved his hands, placing one of them on a hand that gripped his hip. Ren feared that Hux was going to try to push him away. Instead, Hux gingerly held Ren's hand. 

This is what he wanted; this was what Ren had been craving for years. He wanted it from Hux and finally,  _finally,_ he could take it. 

Ren pulled Hux’s hand to his face and kissed his palm. The kiss was light and gentle as if Hux was paper-thin and would tear to shreds at any force. Ren then nuzzled his face into it. Hux felt the wetness of Ren’s cheek rub off onto his hand. 

Tired and with a heavy heart, Hux sank down to the floor. Ren supported him on his way down and let the General rest his head against his shoulder.

“If you hurt me again, I will kill you. Especially if the children are involved,” Hux threatened in a whisper against Ren’s ear. Ren’s ear warmed. Hux sounded more sorrowful than angered. 

Hux didn’t know if Ren was being sincere; there was still a chance that one day Ren would just betray and hurt him again, but he felt cornered. Hux was swelling with uncertainty and this lonesome hurt; he could no longer do this alone. He couldn’t hurt alone anymore. He already had a lifetime of that. 

Ren merely nodded. “I know Armitage.” 

They were both quiet, sitting on the floor and listening to the other person breathe. Ren had stopped crying. Though tears were not falling from Hux’s face anymore, he still made soft and sad whimpering noises. 

He didn't need the Force to know Hux was badly hurting. He didn’t need the Force to know that he was the one to constantly hurt Hux. He just kept thinking about the pain he gave to Hux. 

Ren swore on the Force itself he’d protect Hux from now on. No matter how his anger raised or how Hux tested him, Ren would be better. He had to be.

“Hux,” Ren said tenderly, placing a thumb to Hux’s chin and tilting his head upwards. Hux blinked, his eyelashes seeming to have water droplets still stuck in them. There was something strangely beautiful about Hux’s sorrow, but it pained Ren all the same. “Please. Let me see them.” 

Hux stared at Ren, carefully considering it. Ren felt anger rise up at the thought of Hux saying no, but pushed the feeling down. He had to be rational and patient. Everything was much harder on Hux than it was on him.

Hux slowly stood up and Ren followed his pace. He treaded carefully like Hux was a gentle little bird he was trying to woo again. He had to flash his strong wings again to show Hux his worth, but he also had to be a good parent. He knew that one wrong move would make Hux cast him away. 

With Hux still holding his hand, he followed him into a small room past their bedroom. Peaking into the bedroom, Hux’s bed itself looked like it hadn’t been used in a long time by the way the blankets and pillows were crisp and without wrinkles. 

When Hux unlocked the door to the smaller room, Ren felt a whole galaxy grow inside his heart. Hux first entered, emotions unfaltering. He had to give Ren a little pull to get the man to move. He released Ren’s hand once Ren had stepped into the room.

On the ceiling of the room was a lamp that looked like the sun while smaller lights were scattered around the ceiling to imitate actual glowing stars. No room on any First Order ship looked like this. Ren figured Hux must have custom ordered the design. 

_Hux planned this?_ Ren thought. He felt like he was starting over again with Hux, knowing he didn’t know much about Hux. 

Against the wall was a crib where something was squirming inside, making small noises. Ren slowly approached the cradle. He could feel Hux watching him cautiously. Ren put his hands on the crib. It was cold to the touch.

The first thing Ren noticed was the white hair growing on her head. It looked wrong on a baby, but it was still utterly enchanting. He wondered if her hair was just extremely blonde or if it would change to a regular color over time. The next thing he noticed was her ears that seemed larger than they needed to be. Ares had more of Hux’s ears, but this baby was definitely cursed with some of Ren’s traits. The confirmation that she was his child brought him great relief, but he knew she would detest her ears in the future. 

She had her eyes closed as she squirmed about in the confines of her blanket. Ren rubbed his eyes. 

“Can I hold her?” Ren asked, looking over to Hux. Hux nodded slowly, still unsure of himself. 

“Do you remember how?” Hux asked, mouthing off more than he intended. Ren should have felt insulted, but he was more disappointed in himself that Hux had to ask that question. He realized now how much of Ares’s life he must have missed because Snoke thought of Ares as a distraction. 

“Of course,” Ren calmly assured. Slowly, Ren put his hands into the crib and picked up their daughter. She made a small gasp, sounding like she was going to cry. He held her against his chest and she seemed to calm down. Ren made a small sigh of relief that his daughter didn’t cry this time. 

She was so tiny, smaller than Ares when he was born, but seemed healthy. Her cheeks were round and red, showing her liveliness. She was a beautiful baby. Despite the horrors she went through in her first days of life, she appeared unharmed. 

She was strong too by how she flailed her little fist and kicked her tiny feet. She was a true warrior in the making, and a princess if Ren wanted to consider his own lineage. Ren quickly began to plan on making his new family royal out of his own conquest. Surely that would make it up to Hux, bringing him the crown. 

Ren used the Force to connect with her. She inhaled and opened her eyes slowly. She had brown eyes. Ren gawked at her but she seemed more interested in the big lips of her other father. Ren parted his lips slightly in awe and the baby seemed to imitate the action. 

“She’s…” 

“Different?” Hux inquired. “I know. I’m not sure if she really looks like us.” 

Hux sounded disappointed and Ren couldn’t disagree more. She was a beautiful image of Hux and him, and despite their strong appearances mixed in her face, she looked so delicate. Hux just had so many seeds of doubt planted in his head that he didn’t know what to think. 

“No. She’s beautiful. Magnificent,” Ren concluded. He looked up to Hux, his eyes sparkling with hope. “She’s ours.” 

Hux straightened, his head previously lulled in his sleepiness. He crossed his arms over his chest seeming almost embarrassed or defensive. Ren didn’t understand how Hux wasn’t cooing over their daughter with him right now. Then he remembered once again Hux’s discomfort and distrust towards him. 

The baby kicked her little feet which were trapped in black socks. She wore a black nightgown with two white stripes near the bottom like a true General’s daughter. Ren’s love towards the adorable smallness of baby clothes was renewed. 

He stuck his finger in her face and she tried to grab it, making small noises. Ren asked, “What’s her name?” 

Hux blinked as if he had spaced out for a moment. Ren looked to him, waiting for an answer. 

“I… her name is Galatea,” Hux said softly. He sat down in a cozy-looking rocking chair. It was covered in blankets and appeared to be the recent spot of Hux’s sleeping by how quickly Hux found his most comfortable position. 

“Galatea,” Ren repeated back. He had never heard a name like it. Ares was at least somewhat familiar-sounding to him, where Galatea seemed otherworldly. Her name is a prayer, a blessing, a message of hope for the future. “Where did you come up with that?” 

Hux considered an answer. His jaw shifted.  

“I don’t know.” Ren cocked an eyebrow at him. Hux shrugged, “It just came to me. Like in a dream. But I know I’ve heard it before. I’ve been forgetful lately.” 

“Clearly,” Ren scoffed without meaning to. He tensed, knowing he already screwed up. Hux rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes shifting to look at the floor. Ren half wanted Hux to yell at him, to get angry, but Hux seemed so drained that he lost the will to fight. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

“Hmm,” Hux hummed dismissively. 

“It’s a nice name Hux. I’m sure you had a good reason for it. It fits her,” Ren corrected. Hux merely shrugged again. Ren didn’t like how dismissive Hux was of him, especially since he was trying to make a connection again. He knew the General was tired, but he desperately wanted Hux to understand. 

Ren slowly walked over to Hux with Galatea safely in his arms. Hux didn’t budge, again ignoring Ren’s gestures. Irritated but trying to be patient, Ren tried to skim Hux’s mind. He was sure Hux would sense him, but if he did, he didn’t say anything of it this time. 

Hux’s mind was oddly lulled and static. Ren recalled how adamant Hux was holding baby Ares and how his eyes lit up every time the baby squirmed in his arms, but here with Galatea, something appeared wrong with Hux. It was unlike him, even for the ruthless prick he could be. 

Ren offered Hux their baby, holding her outwards. She whined at the loss of Ren’s heat. She strongly projected her discomfort to Ren with the Force. He smiled slightly. She’d be strong with the force. She was already so wonderful. 

Hux eyed Ren, almost suspiciously, but took Galatea in his arms. She sniffled loudly and struggled. Hux cringed and his body began to shake. Ren grew confused at the sight as if it was incomprehensible. Over a week ago, Galatea was crying when Ren came close and Hux wanted nothing more to hold her but here he seemed detached from Galatea. 

“Take her,” Hux tried, holding Galatea away from his chest. She continued to whine but didn’t cry. She seemed more confused about why she was being passed around. 

“What? Hold her Hux, she’s your daughter,” Ren told him, trying to use a kinder tone but it was hard when he was conflicted every which way. 

“She doesn’t like me. You hold her,” Hux said plainly, his eyes not meeting Ren’s nor Galatea’s. Galatea began to cry, having been away from a hard surface for too long. Hux cringed at the noise. The Force told Ren that Hux’s mind was out of sorts. 

Ren didn’t recall Hux having the same reaction with Ares, then again his birth was less traumatic. Galatea was obviously healthy, so it wasn’t like Hux was caring for her, so Ren didn’t understand why Hux was so _detached_ from her. Was it him? 

_Where was Ares?_  Ren wondered.

“Of course she likes you. You’re just tired. You told me. You’ve overworked yourself and you’re not thinking clearly,” Ren tried to reason, taking Galatea back despite him wanting Hux to coo over her. 

“Clearly,” Hux mocked, trying to imitate Ren’s “Republic” accent. Ren sighed. He was growing tired as well. All their emotional banter seemed to catch up with him for once in a way that didn’t end in anger. 

He gently pressed his fingers to Galatea’s forehead, lulling her with the Force. She gave a little yawn and her eyes fluttered. Her light eyelashes were long and pretty, like little wings upon her delicate face. 

Hux seemed to panic once Galatea was obviously asleep. Ren places her slowly back into her crib.

Hux jumped up. “What did you do to her?” he asked hurriedly. 

“She’s fine, I helped her sleep with the Force. So now you can sleep without disruptions,” Ren assured. He tucked Galatea into her crib. He wanted to kiss her cheek but felt like Hux would disprove so he refrained.

“Without disruptions? This is the first night in days Ares has slept without me,” Hux said, frowning. 

“Can I see Ares?” Ren asked. It was worth a shot.

“Not… now Ren. He’s sleeping, I just said. I want him to stay asleep,” Hux said. Ren glanced around the room again. 

“You designed this room?” Ren inquired. He put his hand out for Hux, offering to lead him out. Hux raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes.” Hux took Ren’s hand. Ren lifted his head. Maybe it meant Hux would be by his side. For now, it meant Hux was ready to start trying to trust him. 

“Why? You’re usually so full of order and discipline,” Ren commented. He brushed Hux’s bright hair out of his face. Hux’s cheeks began to flush. At least he was gaining some color again. “You have… an artistic vision.”

“I wanted her to know the galaxy is hers. Not just this ship,” he said, tracing his fingers against the walls. He didn’t choose to comment on Kylo’s flattery. Kylo felt there was more to what he was saying than the surface suggested. 

They left the nursery, Hux shutting the door securely behind him. He let out a strained sigh. He still had lots of nervous energy pent up inside him. 

“Have you slept at all?” Ren asked attentively. Hux cringed, hating the question and feeling as if the answer should be obvious. 

“What the hell do you think? I have two kids to raise and a ship that practically teeters on me and you. Thanks for the new room and ship by the way, really generous of you,” Hux said bitterly. His sarcastic tone made Ren agitated but again he knew that he had to stay civil otherwise Hux would shut him out again. 

“I’m sorry Hux. I am,” Ren supplied. Ren didn’t think he apologized so many times in his entire lifetime. The Force that surrounded Hux swelled with a fury of emotions. Hux clutched his hands and gritted his teeth.

Then, like a dying star, he exploded. 

“You’re sorry? You’re _sorry_? Do you even know what you’re apologizing for, really? Two _years_ Ren. That’s what you are apologizing for. Snoke wondered every day if he should have killed Ares! And you turned a blind eye because you thought some mythical power was more important than your child!”

_Like it was more important than me_ , Hux thought but didn’t say. Ren heard it. He was too struck to say anything. He just let the weight of it all sit on his shoulders. 

He was like Han Solo. No. He was worse than his father. Hux must have thought of him to be just like Brendol, and that made Ren wither on the inside. 

Hux continued, face turning red and eyes welling with tears, “I had to do everything! I feared every day that Ares would forget his parents when I had to leave some stupid droid to watch him because I had to clean after all of the First Order’s messes! All of your screw-ups! Are you sorry for that? Forcing me and everyone else to work overtime and keep me away from him?”

_I was afraid he’d forget about you. About me._

Hux opened his robe slightly. Silent and wide-eyed, Ren watched as Hux revealed the healing bruises on his chest. The bruises he caused. 

“I broke two ribs because of you Ren! You tried to snap my neck!”

_How could you abuse me like that? It brought back many memories._

Ren reached out. He wanted to touch the evidence of his fury and his arrogance. He hurt Hux. He knew he did. He knew and knew and knew yet he felt so clueless. He felt horrible. He felt…

_Like a monster_. 

Ren pushed the voice away. She didn’t matter. He’d kill her. He knew she wasn’t truly to blame for him ignoring Hux and his children, but that damn girl helped ruin what could have been. 

Hux smacked Ren’s hand away with such force he took a step back by how out of character it was. Hux was never so quick to use physical force. 

“The only thing keeping me grounded was the thought of Galatea but even then I couldn’t think of her because then you’d find out and scurry to Snoke and I’d have another baby taken away from me!”

Ren became defensive. “I would have never reported Galatea to Snoke.” 

“Bullshit!” Hux scoffed. The poor man was trembling. “You would've told Snoke one way or another! Hiding Galatea was the only thing I thought that could help me contain this semblance of… of…” 

_Of having a family._

Hux suddenly lost his fury. His body slumped over slightly and his eyes cast downward. His confidence vanished from his body. 

This was truly the breakdown of one of the greatest men in the galaxy. Ren knew Hux needed to scream and let it all out. It hurt so badly but he knew it had to happen. It was Ren’s fault and if he ever wanted to hold Galatea or get to train Ares with a lightsaber when he was older, he’d have to be willing to accept that he was a fuckup. And then he’d have to change.

He’d try. He’d try for Hux. He’d try for the babies. 

Hux gave a strange, sad laugh. Ren’s lip trembled. He couldn’t watch Hux like this, but he couldn’t look away. Hux didn’t deserve this. The man hated weakness, but most of all he hated his own weaknesses. 

“I thought to down some brandy and hold my blaster to my chin you know? But I knew it was selfish. Where would Ares go? Who would hold Galatea for the first time? But I started to think it didn’t matter if you knew. Phasma tried to help and what does she get repaid with? She's… she’s gone because I couldn’t succeed. She’s gone.” 

Hux’s face was filled with tears. He felt defeated. 

Ren now understood fully. He’d never have Hux’s perspective but he could understand. 

Phasma was dead and Hux felt responsible. Hux felt lonely and he felt responsible. Hux felt that he couldn’t help his children. 

With a brave foot forward and a little boldness, Ren stepped forward and hugged Hux. It wasn’t just for support, he wanted Hux to feel he was there. 

He felt Hux tense up and took a quick inhale, trying to contain his feelings again. 

“It’s not your fault Armitage,” Ren told him in a soft voice. “I can never tell you enough how sorry I am. I’ll show you, but I can never truly deserve your forgiveness. It’s not your fault though. You’re a good parent.”

Hux was quiet for a moment. He was shaking with such vigor that Ren feared he’d snap the little bones in his body. Ren was careful with strength, careful not to suffocate Hux. 

He wanted Hux to say something to him, anything, that would show he was willing to keep going. Ren needed Hux to be at least a little willing to move forward with him if things were better for Ares and Galatea. They both at least cared for their innocent children. 

“I want to sleep,” Hux whispered. 

Ren nodded and let Hux go. “Of course.” 

Almost pitifully, Hux crawled into his bed and folded into himself. Ren, unsure of what to do with himself, stood at the foot of the bed and watched Hux shiver. 

Irritably, Hux asked, “Are you coming?”

Ren’s eyebrow quirked up, surprised at Hux’s offer. Hux didn’t look up and didn’t move. He stared intently at the spot next to him. 

“Are you sure?” It seemed odd to sleep with Hux again so suddenly. He knew it wasn’t carnal, but it seemed like a large jump. 

“Yes. I know it’s…” Hux stopped himself and backed up with his wording, “just do it. Please.”

Silently, Ren removed his boots and got into Hux’s bed. Unsure what to do with himself, he laid out flat on his back. Hux scooted closer to Ren and buried his face into Ren’s side. He breathed unevenly and just stayed against Ren, letting himself break down. 

Hux had always loved Ren’s warmth. Hux was used to the cold void of space, he grew up on spaceships all his life, but the only place he really noticed the chill of the galaxy was alone in his bed. Regrettably, Ren was the only one who could warm him in bed. Ren always thought it was the sex that had let Hux sleep at night, but now he knew he was wrong and wanted to retract every taunt he had towards Hux for sleeping with him in the past. 

Hux just wanted a warm body to sleep next to him. He felt more secure that way. It was bittersweet; the one person who Hux felt the safest to sleep with also was the one person who hurt him the most when Hux opened up. 

Hux was stiff at first against Ren. Ren opted not to move, wanting to let Hux get comfortable on his own. Slowly, Hux began to relax and his breathing softened. Ren could sense his consciousness drifting into a much-needed sleep. 

Once Ren knew Hux had fallen asleep he began to move carefully. Ren moved onto his side so he could face Hux. He had to look at the damage he had done. 

He had to see the man he loved. 

He had to know even now in Hux’s most vulnerable moments, he wouldn’t hurt him anymore. When Ren moved, Hux followed the heat of his body and tilted his head towards Ren's chest. 

Cautiously, Ren moved his hand and laid it across Hux’s arm. Hux’s sleeping body twitched at first but then gave in to the touch.

The General was a beautiful sleeper, despite everything. He had a way of letting all the stress of his body go and he curled up ever so slightly to feel safer in his own skin. The soft push of Hux’s head against his chest was enough to make Ren tear up again. 

The broken Knight hugged Hux close and buried his face into the man’s red hair and took in an unsteady breath. 

He could’ve lost everything. He wanted the Resistance to fall at his feet, he wanted to crush every enemy in sight, he wanted all the power he could find, but he needed Hux the most.

It was Hux who didn’t treat him differently, even when they were cruel to one another. Hux didn’t expect him to be a Jedi or a savior or someone’s tool or something someone could fix. No, Hux just knew him as Kylo Ren and that’s all Kylo needed from someone. 

He didn’t know why the General was so special, or why the Force chose him to have children with him, but he would take it. 

Finally, he’d accept fate. 

Hux woke up from Ren’s soft crying against his hair. He let out a little breath and pulled back slightly to look at Ren’s sorrowful face. The man was useless at concealing his emotions, per usual. 

Hux touched Ren’s scar, tracing his thumb gently over the defining mark. Ren’s reddened eyes watched Hux’s movements, uncertain and yearning to keep the General by his side. 

“Stop your crying,” Hux said without any venom. “It’s unfitting. Our children need a father who ignites the fear of the galaxy.” 

“I believe you’ve told me I can’t rule the galaxy with fear,” Ren told him, clearing his throat of his whimpering. 

“Well, that’s why you have me. One of us has to have the brains,” Hux said, somewhat teasingly. 

Ren cracked a small grin and Hux found himself feeling warm in the face. Ren had a lovely smile. Hux hated that he found Ren so handsome; the smallest movements of Ren’s face or body could make his heart beat faster or his cheeks redden. 

“You think I’m handsome?” Ren asked, becoming smug. Hux groaned. He twisted his upper body to look up at the ceiling while his legs were still bent to the side. 

“Don’t read my mind, idiot. I like to think I’d have some privacy within my own head.” 

Ren slowly clambered on top of Hux. Hux stayed still as Ren hovered over him, their noses close to one another. Ren knew he was being bolder than was more appropriate, but he couldn’t help it. 

“You’re pretty,” Ren said.

“...pretty what?” Hux asked incredulously. Ren rolled his eyes.

“No, Hux. You’re _pretty_. Your face, your blush, your words, your body… it’s completely enchanting,” Ren purred. “I admire you, despite what I’ve done to hurt you.”

Hux shifted underneath Ren, seeming to take the praise well. Hux put a knuckled to his lip as if he was tempted to chew on it nervously or somehow seductively. 

“I expect you to never hurt me again, or I swear Ren—” Hux shut up when Ren leaned down and pushed their foreheads together. It was so intimate that Hux felt his heart almost explode. 

He didn’t know if Ren was channeling his emotions to Hux through the Force, but he felt overwhelmed in the best way possible. His body felt hot. 

“I will never. I’m horrible at keeping promises but I know that you are my destiny, my second half. No one compares to us. And I’ll bring you pleasure, admiration, and anything you know about Armitage. So tell me what you want.” 

“I am not your other half, we are both our own full persons you blubbering idiot.” Hux put his hands to the back of Ren’s neck, gentle and cautious. “Still… Give yourself to me, you absolute fool. Fill me.”

Ren felt his own cheeks warm. “Vulgar.” 

“Shut up. Show me how sorry you are, make me forget,” Hux insisted, putting pressure at the back of Ren’s neck. 

Then their lips locked, passionate and desperate. Ren wanted terribly for Hux to forgive him and he wanted to show Hux what he could give him and what he deserved, while Hux just wanted to feel the familiar burn of Ren’s lips. Sometimes, Ren was a terrible kisser, but at the moment he seemed to know how to snake his tongue against Hux’s in a perverse yet loving way. 

Hux thought that maybe he shouldn’t have given in to his desires so easily since Ren had only just repented, but he hopelessly desired to feel someone against him who wanted to appreciate him. 

Ren moved to attack Hux’s neck, kissing, licking, and nipping at the General. Ren slid a hand down Hux’s thigh, getting close to his crotch but not rubbing him quite yet. He thought he was going to spoil the General, build up to completely destroying the General, but he could tell Hux was going to be impatient. 

Ren pushed apart Hux’s robe and stared at the man’s chest. His nipples were pink and perked but Ren’s focus wasn’t there like he usually would be, his eyes were lingering on Hux’s rib cage. There were still some healing bruises and Ren felt immense guilt. The General looked so lovely but so fragile. Hux’s face was twisted.

“Stop pitying yourself,” Hux instructed him, his breathing slightly hard from anticipation. “I’m no longer hurt.” 

Ren didn’t say anything. Instead, he leaned down to kiss at Hux’s sides and ribs. Hux thought about protesting at Ren’s gesture, but shut up once Ren finally got to nipping at his chest. Hux let out a soft moan and Ren made a low noise as if to say Hux was tasty. Ren squeezed Hux’s sides and the General began spreading his legs a little for Ren to notice. 

This time, Ren did begin rubbing Hux through his boxers. The General twitched and let in a sharp breath. He gripped the sheets and let Ren do what he pleased, curious about what Ren wanted to do to him. 

Hux felt hot between Ren’s fingers. He could tell that Hux was trying to remain as calm as possible as if he hadn’t been craving for someone to touch him for months now. Ren slowly got Hux out of his robe so he was laying only in his underwear and socks. Ren began to remove his shirt. 

“Let me,” Hux insisted. Ren cocked an eyebrow at him but put his hands down, allowing for the General to sit up and come close to Ren.

The General meticulously removed Ren’s layers. Once Ren’s chest was fully exposed, he shyly put his hands on Ren’s massive pectorals. Ren stared at him, bewildered and entranced. Hux experimentally flicked at Ren’s nipples. When Ren didn’t give a reaction, he scoffed and moved on. 

Hux’s eyes mainly stared at Ren’s scars. He felt the old crossbow scar on Ren’s side carefully. He then moved back up to look at the endpoint of Ren’s scar that he received from the scavenger. 

“Why are you staring so long?” Ren asked, his eyes wandering away from Hux. 

“I’m just observing your scars, remembering them, or seeing the new ones,” Hux explained gently. “They are… fitting.”

“Fitting?”

“I don’t know, they add to your handsomeness,” Hux said honestly, cupping Ren’s face again so the man would look at him. The Knight’s eyes twinkled. “They are also a reminder of who your enemies are and what you can do.” 

“I’ll kill them,” Ren said darkly. Hux almost wanted to chuckle at Ren’s sudden mood switch. Typical. The knight turned his head to kiss Hux’s palm. “Now you wanted me naked?” 

“Right, right.” 

They both were eventually in their underwear and Hux had clambered into Ren’s lap so they could viciously kiss each other again. Their hips rocked against each other and the air felt warm,  _hot,_ even. Ren stretched out his hand and instinctively used the Force to summon a bottle of lube into his hand. Thankfully, Hux’s instincts had also told him to put lube in the same spot as before. 

He slicked up his fingers as Hux kissed his neck and groped his chest. 

“Lay back,” Ren said. Hux clung to him more tightly. 

“Why don’t you just finger me in your lap? You’ll get to feel me twitch more intimately,” Hux said seductively against his neck. He moved his lips near Ren’s ear. “I want you close. I want to feel everything about you, don’t be selfish.” 

Ren swallowed hard. Hux didn’t usually need to try to seduce him to get Ren to fuck him, but Hux was feeling extra needy and flirty. Ren chuckled and turned his head and snuck a kiss onto Hux’s lips. 

“You will feel me. Just lay back and let me pleasure you.” Ren winked. Hux sighed and gave in. 

The General laid back and rolled onto his stomach. Hux lazily kicked his leg up, almost to tease Ren and tell him he was impatient. 

He made an art out of taking off Hux’s regulation underwear. He was tired of seeing Hux’s bulge hidden by a piece of cloth. Hux shivered when he was exposed to the cold air. 

Ren held his hand over Hux’s torso and poured lube onto his fingers, watching whatever he didn’t catch drip onto Hux’s skin, making the man jump and flinch. 

“Raise your hips,” Ren said and Hux obeyed. He raised his hips up and let the upper half of his body rest on the bed. He put his weight on his arms. 

Then Ren got to work. He slowly pushed his finger in, watching for Hux’s reaction. Hux didn’t squirm and remained passive, though impatient for Ren to do something more. As Ren wiggled in another finger, Hux clenched and Ren began to work carefully, but passionately.

Hux’s back was weirdly handsome. It was pale and the way it bent did something to Ren; he felt like shivering. Ren scissored Hux, hearing the man’s breathing change. Ren leaned over Hux and began kissing him gently up and down his spine.

“What are you doing?” Hux asked, letting out a soft moan as Ren began to work another finger inside.

“Pleasuring you,” Ren said matter-of-factly. 

“I mean the kissing.” 

“I’m cherishing you, my beautiful General,” Ren purred, beginning to give little love bites on Hux’s white skin. Hux let out another gentle moan as Ren violated him with his fingers. Ren could hear how _beautiful_ rang in Hux’s mind. 

“I rather you just fuck me.” 

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“The fun is in your cock, not your damn fingers!” Hux told him, clearly losing his edge. Hux groaned, wide-eyed once Ren sat back up and squeezed his cock, his fingers still wedged in Hux’s hole. 

Hux shut his eyes, letting the feeling of Ren touch him to be his main focus. His stomach felt hot. Hux clenched the bedsheets. 

“What was that?” Ren sat on his knees as he tugged on Hux’s hard dick and pushed his fingers in and out. Hux just sighed through his nostrils, wiggling his ass around. “You’ll get me when I think you’re ready. Remember, you’re talking to your Supreme Leader.” 

Ren knew he had to tread carefully with this type of dirty talk. He didn’t want to upset Hux any further but couldn’t help but let the sly words roll off his tongue. 

Ren pushed a finger against the tip of Hux’s cock, watching the man’s shoulder blades redden. Ren curled his fingers inside Hux, hearing Hux let out a louder moan. 

“Ren—” Hux choked slightly on his own words. “Please…”

Ren smirked, “Please what?” Hux looked behind him, his eyes glossy and filled with lust. Ren was mesmerized by his face.

“Please fuck me, Supreme Leader,” Hux pleaded helplessly. Ren would’ve come right there if he had absolutely no control. Hux’s expression was delicious. 

Ren obliged. He removed his fingers from Hux and encouraged the man to roll onto his back. Once Hux was on his back, he spread his legs wide with his knees bent slightly. With one hand, Ren held up one of Hux’s legs. Ren slipped out of his last bits of clothing, showing off his massive, protruding cock that stuck up almost threateningly. Ren slicked himself up.

He heard Hux swallow, still breathing unsteadily. The General looked nervous despite their sexual history. 

He looked pretty with his flushed face and reddened skin, but Ren melted at Hux’s nervous face. Ren leaned over Hux again and gave him a kiss on the side of his lip. Hux raised an eyebrow. 

“What are you doing?” Hux asked, still surprised by Ren’s gentle kisses. Ren kissed him on the lips and put their foreheads together. Hux squeezed Ren’s forearm. 

“I love you.” 

The room was silent. Hux seemed to stop breathing, his lips parted. They stared into each other’s eyes. Ren trembled and his eyes became wet as he stared at Hux’s lovely face. 

“What?” Hux asked, somewhat appalled.

“I love you,” Ren said again, firmer. “I always have, I think. I’m so sorry I hurt you and tore us apart.” 

“Ren…” Hux said breathlessly, unsure how to react. Hux put his hand on Ren’s scarred cheek. 

It seemed impossible for the knight to love anything at all, yet there he was, giving Hux the only truth he ever knew. Ren was always quick to move on from everything, unempathetic and self-serving, but Hux was the one thing he couldn’t burn bridges with and feel nothing for in the end. 

“I’m here now, ok?” Ren affirmed. He began to adjust himself, readying to fill Hux to the brim. 

Ren sat up and lined himself up. He didn’t give Hux time to respond. He began to push in carefully. Hux instantly reacted, his body tightening. He let out a breathless voice and shut his eyes as Ren slowly sank into him, a welcome intruder into his body. 

Ren could tell Hux hadn’t had any intercourse in a while and was somehow comforted by the thought. Hux only wanted him. Ren would’ve grinned but he was too focused on sheathing his entire length into his General. 

He gripped Hux’s thighs and let out a rough sigh once he was all the way in. Hux’s muscles spasmed as he tried to relax. Ren rubbed circles into Hux’s thigh, trying to comfort him. 

“Fuck…” Hux swore, now remembering how Ren felt inside him. “You’re gonna kill me, Ren.”

“You’ve lived through worse.” Hux grimaced, but Ren didn’t know if he was grimacing at the intrusion or at Ren’s words. 

Hux's entire body was on fire. The burn felt wonderful: it was addictive and sweet and terrible all wrapped into one. He felt like there were bombs of pleasure being set off all across his flesh, beginning at his loins and spreading through him like a plague. Hux didn’t even notice how open his mouth was and how noisy he was becoming as Ren finally hit home.

They rested a moment, waiting for Hux’s body to adjust completely to the feeling. Ren felt like he was right where he needed to be. He felt like his body fit perfectly with Hux’s as if they were made for one another.

_Fuck_ force connections and dyads and destiny. Nothing felt as right as it did with Hux— it had always been Hux, for Ren, who completed him in every gorgeous, terrible way. 

Ren began to move, slowly at first. He watched Hux’s face carefully to see every wrinkle in Hux’s twisting face and every bead of sweat. Ren noticed he was beginning to sweat as well: everything just felt hot. 

“Ren,” Hux gasped, tossing his head to the side and gripped at the sheets. Ren swallowed and began to move faster in and out of Hux. 

Hux couldn’t contain his soft moans. The noises were lovely to Ren. He felt as though he deserved to hear them like they were his reward and the acknowledgment of his good work. 

Hux, on the other hand, was savoring every powerful movement of Ren’s hips. The slapping noise was disgusting, but Hux couldn’t be clean anymore. He couldn’t be a perfect little present all wrapped up; he needed to let go. He wanted to be free of his outer layers and ribbons and perfected edges, and Ren was letting that happen. 

“You’re so good, you’re so beautiful Armitage,” Ren said breathlessly, starting to move into a new position. Hux met his half-lidded gaze. 

“What are you?” Hux asked: idiotically, breathlessly, tiredly.

Ren took the question differently than Hux intended. Ren swooped down onto Hux like a bird of prey. Hux immediately tried to shift his hips and hug himself around Ren’s waist as Ren pressed their bodies together, putting his hot breath to Hux’s ear. Hux moaned loudly. 

Hux gripped a hand into Ren’s back, trying to find any leverage. It was always Ren, naturally, who selfishly had to think about what position he wanted over what was most comfortable. Possibly reading Hux’s mind, Ren did his best to get into a position— adjusting Hux’s hips— so that they were comfortable and so Ren could continue lovingly and violently snapping his hips against Hux.

“Ren!” Hux cried out a particularly hard push into him. He tore at Ren’s mole-covered skin. 

“I’m here,” he promised into the crook of Hux’s neck. He wanted to suffocate himself into Hux’s sweaty hair but tilted his nose up to breathe in some cooler air. “I love you.”

“Shut up,” Hux whined, hopeless, squeezing his legs around Ren.

“I can’t.” Ren meant it with all his heart. He moaned and said hotly into Hux’s ear, “you’re what I need.” 

Unsure of how to react, Hux responded in what he thought was the most embarrassing way possible: coming untouched. Hux’s head lulled afterward, jerking with Ren’s continuing thrusts.

Not wanting to continue exhausting his newfound (or re-found) lover, Ren sped himself up and soon found himself releasing his seed into Hux’s body. Hux twitched at the feeling; he was already thinking about the bath he would have to take. 

Hux milked him of all he was worth; his body was satisfied with its meal.

Spent, Ren collapsed onto Hux. They laid together, panting. After a moment, Hux lessened his harsh grip on Ren’s skin and gave Ren a playful slap on the back. Ren rolled off him, letting out a low grunt. 

They didn’t say anything afterward. They didn’t have to. Hux knew the truth, Ren knew it, and it was all they needed. Still, Hux tried to respond to all that Ren cried to him. 

“Ren?” Hux tried to begin; his voice was soft. Ren loved how Hux spoke (when he wasn’t talking about anything First Order related. “Ren… I…”

Somehow, Hux’s face got redder than it was when they were having sex. Ren almost wanted to laugh, but he spared Hux’s pride.

He was just too happy to have Armitage next to him.

“I know.” Hux didn’t have to say it. Ren was a force user, after all. “I know, Hux.”

They turned to face each other, quietly staring. They felt alone together, yet somehow felt like the galaxy was watching their next moves with a careful, starry eye. 

Hux hiccuped like he was going to cry again. 

Ren kissed him between the eyes. 

They slept close to one another, exhausted and relieved.

In another room, a toddler slept even deeper than his parents, sensing something loving in the air. In a crib, a baby felt something threatening. She wasn’t sure if the world was this big. But she didn’t care, she was only a few days old and she already was braver than a Mandalorian. 

The galaxy wasn’t at peace, not at all, war raged on and children went hungry and soldiers died and Resistance members despaired, but the dark side rested easy knowing who was on its side. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment of all your thoughts, comments keep me going. 
> 
> WOW THEY DID IT! Also, introducing Baby Galatea! I am pretty sure I got the name from an old prompt from @solohux's tumblr. 
> 
> Also, I think after this chapter there will only be one more chapter of Children of War. Don't worry though, this is a series so there will be part 2! We gotta WRAP THIS SH*T UP. 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Follow me on Twitter [@truemoongoddess](https://twitter.com/truemoongoddess)


	30. Now, Where Were We Again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINAL CHAPTER! Well, of part one. The series will continue. But for now, here's a neat little present wrapped in a bow. Thank you to everyone who stuck around, and thanks you especially to people who left comments and kudos! Those comments kept me motivated
> 
> cw: mentions of abuse

Baby Galatea was staring at a pair of curious blue eyes. The curious-eyed something with golden hair like wheat poked her in the cheek. She thought of crying but didn’t. Instead, she sneezed. 

“Ugly,” Ares said in his little voice, shocking his fathers. Hux didn’t even know where Ares got the word ‘ugly.’ Surely, he hadn’t said it in front of Ares?

“Don’t be mean, Ares,” Hux instructed kindly, putting Ares on the floor. Ares slapped his hands on the ground and explored his new chambers. He had explored it a few times but was still trying to get used to it. He felt like a little fish in a big pond. 

Ares waddled over to Ren, hugged his legs, then left to wander. He was ecstatic to see his daddy again. He liked how scary he looked. In his little mind, he thought that meant he could scare away threats too.

Hux huffed and turned to Ren, who was rocking baby Galatea in his arms. She was completely relaxed against him, her little fist up in the air slightly. They gave each other a meaningful look. Ren plopped down on the couch. 

Galatea fussed slightly. She liked being in the air, feeling like she was flying. Ren put a pacifier in her mouth and she stopped her whining. 

She was a cute baby, despite whatever Ares thought ugly meant. She had rounded, red cheeks and healthy pale skin. Her nose was different from Ares’ already, (Ren would never admit she looked like she had some of _Leia’s_ traits, damn Skywalker genes), and, again, he couldn’t help but look at her slightly large ears. 

All these little traits were still something Ren thought was worthy of fighting for.

He was no longer bound to the restrictions, judgments, and influence of Jedi, or ignorant scavengers, or supreme leaders, or even parental figures. He was free to choose who he wanted and decide what he wanted to do. And this freedom came with the satisfaction of raising his children. 

Ren realized he loved being surrounded by his children; it filled him with pride to know he had strong kids who carried his bloodline. Now, he was also proud that Hux had his blood in them too. 

Hux walked by and Ren pulled him next to him with the Force. Hux yelped and glared at Ren once he composed himself. He pushed back a misplaced hair.

“We should have a serious conversation about the future of the First Order,” Hux said, folding his hands in his lap. 

There it was. Hux had perfected ruining a moment for Ren, but he wasn’t angry. He knew the Order was important to Hux (and he was their Supreme Leader, of course. He knew he had to make sure his reign would stretch along the entire expanse of the galaxy). 

“Sure, General,” Ren replied plainly. Ren put his finger into Galatea’s little fist and felt her squeeze him. His heart swelled, but his face remained passive. He looked down at her, wishing he could just stare at his daughter all day and all night. 

“Kylo,” Hux began seriously, “the Order must continue a firm and harsh taking of the galaxy. While we can no longer busy ourselves with merger rebels and pathetic scavengers,” Ren narrowed his eyes at Hux, “we can do what’s in our power to stop these distractions. You are the Supreme Leader, as you have decided to become, so you must be our face and force. We must provide order to this galaxy so perhaps Ares and Galatea can live safely in it.”

Ren stared at him quietly. He was right but Ren didn’t know why Hux felt the need to continue reminding him of their goals. He knew their goals.

“Of course, General. How about you suggest where we should start again?” Ren asked, wiggling his finger in Galatea’s soft grip. 

Hux looked taken aback, not expecting Ren to ask for his opinion. “We should start by reminding our troops and officers who are in charge and give them a sense of belonging and pride. Then we should begin to rebuild; collect troopers, collect planets, and give ourselves fine weaponry and allies. I have some fine investors on Coruscant—”

“And what about our children?”

“...What?”

“Ares and Galatea. They cannot be hidden in ships their whole life as you said. We must let them see our empire,” Ren said seriously. 

“I… agree but I’m not sure if I want the galaxy to know of them yet,” Hux said apprehensively, glancing at Ares who was amusing himself by trying to get up onto a sleek black armchair. 

“It would be best if we didn’t hide them. It could unite our troops, show them there is a future ahead.”

“Or it could endanger them!” Hux shouted. He shrunk back quickly, realizing he let his emotions get the better of him. Ren cocked an eyebrow but didn’t react. Hux anxiously rubbed his hands together. “I mean… I don’t want a formal announcement. The galaxy wants to kill us already, I would rather not put our children in the middle of it.”

“We don’t have to announce anything. We will, perhaps, just casually introduce them,” Ren said with a shrug. Hux looked irritated for a moment, then he snickered. Ren watched as Hux tried to conceal his grin, enthralled by the little smile he gave.

“You’re an idiot. Casually introduce our children to the Order? You want me to just walk on there with a babe strapped to my chest and pretend this is ordinary? Ren, be rational,” Hux said with a half-smirk. Ren leaned close to him. 

“I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” Ren said, almost purring. Hux rolled his eyes and put his hand against Ren’s mouth, preventing the man from kissing him. Instead, Ren licked Hux’s hand and the General pulled away fast, groaning at the grossness of his other. “Don’t worry General, we’ll figure it out. We are destined together after all.”

“Are we?” Hux mused, letting a curl in his lip free to be seen. “What do you think we are now?”

“I’d say lovers, but you hate that word,” Ren admitted. Hux hummed in amusement. 

The General came close to Ren and gripped his face, forcing Ren to look into his sultry eyes. Ren wanted to kiss him but didn’t want to disturb Galatea, so he stayed still. Ares didn’t notice what his parents were doing. 

“Perhaps I wouldn’t be opposed to the word and cement our… allyship, if you do something for me,” Hux said in a low voice, nearing a seductive tone.

Ah, there it was again; leave it to the General to demand something so he could be loyal to Ren’s heart. Ren didn’t fuss. He knew that he was already getting more than he deserved after how much he hurt Hux. He supposed that a single favor would be enough to earn his redemption.

“All right, Hux. What do you have in mind?”

Hux gave a creepy smile. Ren somehow felt enamored by it. 

 

///

 

To be called to the Supreme Leader’s new throne room was unnerving, to say the least. But he wasn’t scared. He was competent, strong, and fearless. 

Pryde wasn’t worried about Ren. He admired how brutal the man was but knew he was a blockhead. He had little confidence in Kylo Ren’s temper or political skills and liked it less that Kylo Ren and the General were connected by an unfortunate little baby. 

Pryde much preferred Snoke. 

It was his first time on the  _Vanguard,_  and he couldn’t help but be impressed by its scale and design. It followed a lot of similar traits of the _Supremacy_ but had, what he assumed, were more of Ren’s blackened taste. 

The doors to the throne room were at the end of a long hallway, littered with stormtroopers in red uniforms. Those were new. Pryde tried his best not to let his stare linger on them for too long. He’d ask about these strange new red stormtroopers if he got the chance.

The door to the throne was imposing and had a big, sleek First Order emblem on the front which split in half when the double sliding doors opened. Pryde stepped in the room but before he could comprehend what was in the room, the door shut once again with a demeaning click.

Pryde expected Ren to be slouching on his black throne, but instead, he saw the bright fiery hair of General Hux on top of the throne. 

He became still. 

On the throne, Hux sat with a bundle wrapped in his arms and a toddler wedged in between him and the armrest, sleeping soundly with his face squished against Hux’s body. Hux didn’t make an effort to even look up from the bundle as if to pretend that Pryde wasn’t even there.

“What is the meaning of this?” Allegiant General Pryde asked with a raised tone. 

“Shh,” Hux hushed before looking up with cold eyes. “You’ll wake her up.” 

Hux had a terrible little smirk across his face that unsettled Pryde. The Allegiant General glared at the younger Hux. 

“Where is the Supreme Leader? I was told to immediately see him!” Pryde demanded, his voice still somewhat the same tone. 

“And I’ll be taking Ren’s meeting for now. He sends his regards though,” Hux said coldly. “I thought we’d have a little discussion, Allegiant General.” 

Pryde took a bold step forward but stopped when he noticed dark creatures coming out of the shadows. He hadn’t noticed it before, but the Knights of Ren were in the room, masked and weapons in hand. Pryde grit his teeth as they all took a step forward but Hux put his hand up. They stopped their movements and stayed still, their eyes all on Pryde like a hungry pack of hyenas. 

He counted five Knights of Ren. Their master was absent from them. There were two knights to the walls to the right and left and one Knight of Ren near Hux’s throne. The knight was smaller than the rest, but they made themselves the most apparent by putting out their scythe protecting across Ren's throne. 

“This seems most informal,” Pryde said, looking back to Hux. 

“Informal? No, this is natural. A leader must be surrounded by powerful warriors. And the children of the First Order must be defended, for the sake of the future, of course,” Hux said in a strong voice, almost smug. Pryde clenched his gloved fist. 

“I take it then you’ve had another bastard, then. How pathetic,” Pryde said. Hux admitted he was daring; only a fool would taunt a man in a throne while he was surrounded by bloodthirsty beasts of the shadows. Even bolder of him to make fun of his babies. “You having children for the Supreme Leader will not make you a better leader, you useless boy.” 

Hux arched an eyebrow. “Is that what you think this is?”

“I think you’d suck a cock to get wherever where you wanted to,” Pryde said cruelly. 

Hux looked over to Gyro Ren, who was standing in the corner to Pryde’s left. The Knight stepped forward and kicked Pryde’s legs out from under him, sending the older man into his stomach. He let out a weak noise and hit the floor with a humorous smack. 

Ares stirred and Hux patted his son’s head, pulling him back into sleep. Ares wanted to sleep in Hux’s arms and was disappointed his new sister got that spot, but he was having fun sitting on the throne. 

It was cathartic for Hux to see Pryde break his usual straight, austere posture. Let the old man be hunched over, Hux thought. 

Pryde sat on his knees, his lip split open. He glared at Hux with wild eyes; he knew he was no longer safe. Gyro Ren stayed behind him. Hux was amused by his pain, enjoying that someone who abused him now knew how it felt. 

“You fail to understand the position you’re in and the relation I have with the Supreme Leader. You’re nothing but a remnant of the Empire: weak, old, and forgotten. You can no longer abuse me, nor will my father or his friends. That’s why they’ve been disappearing, after all,” Hux said in a strong voice. Galatea, who was awake but quiet, stared up at Hux with fascinated eyes. 

Pryde sat up straighter, realizing the bloodthirsty nature of the ginger weasel sitting on the throne. 

“You killed Brendol,” Pryde gaped. Hux was looking at his son, pushing hair out of his face and admiring how sweet he looked. 

“He expired when he needed to. And so will you,” Hux said darkly. “I am done dealing with the dark edges of my past. I will not allow for the cycle of abuse to continue.”

“So you’ll kill all your resources?” Pryde spat.

“Kill? Oh no, I’m not Kylo Ren. I won’t destroy everything that angers me. But I will subdue it, until it’s completely useless to me,” Hux explained. It was a warning: his cold look revealed it all. Even while he was adoring his children during their little chat, there was something terribly frigid in his eyes. 

“You were always a weak link. I should’ve done something about you properly when I had the chance,” Pryde finally let out, his usual stiff posture and control over himself being lost in his surfacing desperation. 

Hux held his chin up. “Enric Pryde, _former_ Allegiant General of the First Order and the _Steadfast_ , under orders of our Supreme Leader, you are sentenced to death for your conspiring against the First Order and for treason against the Supreme Leader’s family and his supremacy.”

“Treason!” Pryde yelled. He tried to get up but Gyro Ren firmly put his club on Pryde’s shoulder, feeling the old man let out a shiver under it. Pryde immediately stilled. “I have never done anything treasonous!” 

“Perhaps we have different definitions then. I would call conspiring to control the Order under the Supreme Leader’s nose with Empirical bastards, abusing the Supreme Leader’s partner, and threatening his children treasonous.” 

Pryde’s mouth was open wide like a fish out of water. “Partner! You— you seduced that man into doing your bidding! You karking rat!” 

“I’ve had enough of your hopeless blubbering. I am your juror and judge and the information provided to me says you are guilty,” Hux said firmly. Hux glanced at Gyro Ren and gave him a little nod.

Pryde shifted on his knees, trying to move forward without alarming the Knight of Ren behind him. The Knight with the scythe stepped back despite Pryde’s shifting.

Pryde didn’t hear the door open behind him.

“You— You whore of a boy! The ideas of the Empire will not die with your sociopathic mind and the homicidal force nonsense of that dark sider! You will not bring any glory to this galaxy alone! And your bastard children will perish under your rule!” Pryde snarled, finally breaking out of his stern shell. Hux merely watched him fall apart, amused a man he detested so much groveling at his knees.

The sound of a lightsaber turning on echoed across the room. A red light could be seen reflecting from the floor, its violent color sizzling. 

Pryde looked back slowly, finally seeing the face of his furious Supreme Leader. 

“That’s all I needed to hear,” Kylo Ren said. He was clenching the lightsaber handle tightly, shaking from his anger. His face was passive but his body told a different story.

“Supreme Leader—”

Ren’s lightsaber pierced through Pryde’s body. The older man gasped and choked for a moment and when Ren pulled out his saber, Pryde’s body uselessly fell to the ground. He was dead before he hit the floor.

Ren turned off his lightsaber and looked to the throne. Hux was sitting there smugly, though his little smirk vanished once Galatea began to cry. Her crying began to awake Ares who, miraculously, slept through the whole endeavor. 

Hux sighed. “Get rid of the body. I want no trace that Pryde was here.” 

Gyro and Nykita Ren collected the body and went out, the other knights tagging along. Once the body was gone and everyone had left, Ren quickly went up to the throne.

Ren tucked his lightsaber away and picked up Ares. The boy’s sleepy eyes looked at his father’s face and he suddenly gave Ren a pull on a strand of hair. Ren grunted and gently pushed his hand away. 

“That’s the only time I’m letting you sit on my throne,” Ren told Hux. 

“Oh? I think you’d be more fitting as my hound that would attack people on my orders,” Hux said, pulling Galatea up against his chest.

“Very funny. I’m still your Supreme Leader, watch how you talk to me,” Ren said, though Hux didn’t feel threatened. 

“Well, I’m not going to stand all day by your side. Carrying children can be tiring,” Hux said. Galatea began to calm down and gently tried to chew at the fabric on Hux’s chest, though she wasn’t successful. 

“...you want to be at my side?” Ren asked, his eyes looking much like a puppy’s. Hux couldn’t believe he was agreeing to partner himself with such an idiot.

“Yes, I thought that was clear already. And I don’t mean literally standing here always. I will be on the bridge most of the time unless you need me but I’m not going to stand in this throne room like a consort,” Hux explained. 

“You’d be a fucking hot consort though,” Ren said casually. Hux’s cheeks turned red. 

“Shut up, you brute. Don’t swear in front of our children,” Hux said. Ren could already picture what kind of parent Hux was: nagging, particular, stern, determined… “My official title will not be 'consort.' I have another title in mind though.”

“Already asking me for another favor? I thought this was my gift to you,” Ren commented. He knew that he couldn’t give Hux everything; he couldn’t spoil him. 

“This is hardly a gift. I was doing you a favor by getting rid of that pest.”

“We’ll have to replace him.”

“Easy enough, there are tons of officers worthy. But no more Allegiant Generals! It’s just a title made to undermine me,” Hux told him. “The Order will be in good hands, with the two of us.”

Ren smiled. He liked that idea, just the two of them and their two children. He stopped Hux’s rambling by leaning down and pressing a deep kiss into Hux’s mouth. Hux made a little noise but let Ren do so, shocked but not surprised.

Ren pulled away, staring deeply into Hux’s lovely eyes. 

“I’m sure I can arrange something for you, Armitage,” Ren said. 

“Don’t call me Armitage,” Hux replied, lifting his chin. Ren chuckled and stood up straight, offering Hux his hand.

Hux took Ren’s hand and Ren felt a sense of wholeness. They walked down the throne steps together. Ares, seemingly wanting to copy Ren’s actions, tried to give his father a kiss on the cheek. It was more of Ares just pressing his entire face into Ren’s, but Ren didn’t mind and found it amusing. 

“I think you need lunch,” Ren said to Ares. Ares gave him a big smile. 

Everything felt right. 

It wasn’t perfect, but it was good. Ren knew he had Hux back, though there was still work between them that needed to be done. They were no longer bound by fate or cursed force users. They doubted they would be perfect parents but they’d certainly try to protect their children from the war and from the strange happenings of the Force. 

One day, they knew, Ares and Galatea would ask about their grandparents and history and Ren would tell them the truth. He wouldn’t let them be deprived of their own sense of wholeness; he didn’t want them to feel how he did as a child: alone, lost, and deprived. 

When Ares and Galatea would ask, Ren and Hux would answer.

War raged on, but a new family slept soundly together. 

The dark side proved to be a formidable ally, for now.

 

///

 

Somewhere across the galaxy, a General sat and stared blankly at a map. Across from her, a brown-haired young woman with her hair tied in three buns sat cross-legged with an old Jedi text in her lap. 

The forest was vibrant and loving and the Resistance members were busy with making a base out of it. A sense of dread filled the area, but there was still hope. 

General Leia Organa stared at Rey as she read through the text, looking over the girl’s features. Leia’s mouth was twisted. Rey looked up and saw how her General seemed disgruntled.

“I can’t find anything about force connections here,” Rey said, closing the book loudly and tossing it aside. 

“There are lots of books. We’ll find some useful information soon,” Leia tried to assure the girl, but she looked impatient. “Has Ben tried to contact you, lately?”

“No. I shut him out anyway. I don’t think I could handle any more of his emotional turmoil. It felt like he was tearing at pieces of my brain when we spoke. I’ll try though, if you’d like,” Rey offered, though she looked pained at the idea. 

“No, no that’s all right, Rey. Let’s focus on other things, maybe. Like rebuilding the Resistance. The galaxy needs good people like you to give them hope. The dark side always wants to crush hope and unfortunately, sometimes it wins because it’s easier for people to succumb to tyranny and to their worst impulses than to try to be good,” Leia told her lovingly. Rey gave the General a thin-lipped smile.

“I know. The dark side has called me but I’ll refuse it. I just hope the galaxy can do the same,” Rey explained. 

Someone was calling for her and she looked up. 

Rose Tico, an engineer Finn had apparently befriended during their somewhat-failed mission on the _Supremacy_ , came into the tree-base that Leia and Rey were sitting under. 

She liked Rose after getting to know her; they had a lot of mutual interests and Rose was strong but a sweetheart.

“Rey!” Rose called. Rey stood up, putting the book down. Rose went up to her. She was carrying a brown pouch in her hand. “I think I’ve done it. I don’t know if it helps the design you were going for, but I tried.”

“No, no. I’m sure it’s wonderful,” Rey said. Rose handed Rey the pouch. Rey opened it, sliding the object inside out into her hand. 

It was a new lightsaber. It was made from the remnants of Anakin Skywalker’s old lightsaber that Kylo Ren and her had fought over. Rey flicked a switch and the saber hilt extended to be longer like the middle of her staff. 

“I added some features as you can see, though I don’t really understand the kyber crystal part of it. The saber has two sizes now, one for just using one blade and the other for if you want to use it as a staff,” Rose explained, crossing her arms and grinning. Rey smiled.

“Thank you, Rose,” Rey praised. She ignited one end of it. The blue light shined steadily. She needed another crystal to make it dual-ended though. She turned it off and put it back to its original size; for now, she’d use it like she did the previous saber. 

“My pleasure. Between you and me, I think Finn wants one too,” Rose said offhandedly. Rey and Leia gave each other a knowing look, one Rose didn’t understand. 

“We’ll have to find the crystals first. Thank you,” Leia said. Rose took the hint and went off. There was still lots of work to do. 

Rey turned sharply to Leia. “Finn sensed it too, you know. That ripple.”

Leia sighed. She slowly got up from where she was sitting, using a cane to balance herself. 

“I know. I’ve never felt the Force react so strangely. I can’t tell if it’s a dark presence or not, but certainly, the feeling was a warning,” Leia explained, walking out of the tree-base. Rey dutifully followed her. 

“It happened a few days after Crait. Do you think Ben did something?” Rey asked. Leia didn’t know how she felt about Rey still calling her son ‘Ben.’ Leia’s reasoning was obvious as to why she could call him by his name, but she worried that Rey unknowingly still was vulnerable to his manipulation.

“Could be. Or it could be a random-something million of stars away, we can’t know for certain. I don’t want you to risk connecting to Ben again, Rey. He’ll use it against you,” Leia warned seriously. Rey nodded.

“I know. I won’t. I want to decipher that strange Force feeling though,” Rey said, hopeful. “Will you help me?”

Leia’s face softened. She wanted to reassure Rey, make her feel at home, but Leia also didn’t want Rey to be disappointed or dependent on her. Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose— they were all her legacy. They were Han’s and Luke’s too (though Leia suspected they’d most likely have their favorites). 

“Of course. I also think we should get Finn involved,” Leia said, smiling at her then looking off to where Finn and Poe were. 

The two men were playfully arguing with one another over the _Millennium Falcon_. Chewie seemed to be in the middle of the argument too, but the Wookie seemed more annoyed about it than he cared to admit. 

Finn caught Rey’s eyes and Rey hurried over to them to join them, a skip apparent in her step. Finn put an arm around Rey’s shoulder and Rey put her arm around Finn’s back.

“What are we arguing about?” Rey asked, joyful. 

“Finn wants to change the Falcon,” Poe said, utterly offended. Chewbacca let out a roar. 

“What? Finn!—” Rey said, offended. 

“Hey, you’re putting words into my mouth. I said it could use some upgrades, maybe give it a better gun or just clean the interior a little,” Finn said, containing a smile to pretend he wasn’t amused by how serious Poe was.

“That’s part of the charm!” Rey offered. “Han would be upset.” 

“I think Han Solo would like at least new seating,” Finn said. “Right, Chewie?” Chewbacca let out a whine. “What do you mean no he wouldn’t? What person wouldn’t like comfortable seating!”

“I like the seats,” Rey said, wrinkling her nose with a smile. 

“See, even Rey is on my side,” Poe said, shrugging. “Team old Falcon, over here.”

“Now hold on, I think you were the one who damaged the Falcon with some crazy flying,” Rey said. Finn pointed a finger at Poe, dramatizing the moment. 

“What?” Poe yelled and Chewie let out a loud, Wookie laugh. 

Leia was smiling from her spot, watching them all joyfully interact with each other. It reminded her of her younger years. The only thing that ever changed was the faces of people. History cycled through itself again. The only thing Leia wanted to change in history was the abuse of tyrannical governments, xenophobic ideologies, hungry children, and the broken systems of the galaxy. She could, however, enjoy watching history give the galaxy another lovely group of friends (and perhaps, more than friends) battle against the cruel galaxy to do what was right.

One day, the truth would catch up to her, to them all, and they’d have to face a monster bigger than all of them. Maybe that monster would be her son still, maybe some Sith would come out of hiding, or maybe there was something she couldn’t predict in the galaxy. 

All she could do was hope. 

All she could do was give them hope and hope they pass it along to others. Perhaps in her lifetime, she couldn’t fix everything, but she was confident she had some people that could continue what she had started. 

The Force seemed to tremble. It watched, it knew, but for now, it let everyone have their peace. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, what do we think? thank you again to everyone. The next part, if you can't tell, will also have more mentions of the Resistance side. It wouldn't be a Star Wars series without them! But wow i've never written a star wars fanfic yet here i am making a series, I guess? Dang.
> 
> I hope everyone is doing well. My total books finished this month is at... 7 I think and I've been writing book reviews, though no one sees them haha. 
> 
> May the Force be with you! 
> 
> I'll tag the second part of the Glory to the Children series here when I post the first chapter. See you soon! 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr [@starryartemis](https://starryartemis.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Follow me on Twitter [@truemoongoddess](https://twitter.com/truemoongoddess)


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